Tornado-like cloud scares New Zealanders: expert explains rare phenomenon
The other day, residents of Auckland, New Zealand, shared photos and videos of a strange cloud that looked like a tornado from afar. Its shape swirled from above and narrowed downward, forming a funnel.
MetService meteorologist Aidan Piselman explained to Newshub that the phenomenon was not a threat. Although such a cloud can be seen infrequently, scientists have long since found an explanation for its occurrence.
"They are formed in an unstable atmospheric environment with different wind directions at different levels - this causes rotation and funnel shape. As long as they are still far from the ground, they do not pose a great risk of damage," the meteorologist explained.
He noted that this particular cloud, whose photo was shared on social media, did not touch the ground. The phenomenon is called a "funnel-like cloud".
In their posts on their pages, users said that it was possible to follow the bizarre figure in the sky for a short time, but the funnel still scared some of the eyewitnesses.
The MetService website reports that some funnel clouds, water tornadoes, and small ground tornadoes are possible during a mild thunderstorm.
As previously reported by TravelWise, the New Zealand Department of Conservation has announced an 18 percent price increase for the popular Great Walks hiking trails
