Tropical Funnel Clouds/Tornadoes Possible This afternoon
Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2004 3:56 pm
A relatively common occurence in south Louisiana during the summer months is the development of tropical funnel clouds which can touch down a do damage. Storms are staying to the south of me today but I'll be on the lookout later if they tend to creep northward.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
330 PM CDT THU JUN 3 2004
GMZ450-455-LAZ041>045-051>055-TXZ215-216-040000-
ACADIA-CALCASIEU-CAMERON-CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX OUT 20 NM-
IBERIA-JEFFERSON-JEFFERSON DAVIS-LAFAYETTE-
LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO CAMERON, LA OUT 20 NM-LOWER ST MARTIN-
ORANGE-ST MARY-UPPER ST MARTIN-VERMILION-
330 PM CDT THU JUN 3 2004
...FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WATERSPOUTS POSSIBLE FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...
TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WATERSPOUTS ARE DEVELOPING ALONG THE SEA
BREEZE FRONT WHICH IS NEARLY STATIONARY NEAR THE INTRACOASTAL CANAL
THIS AFTERNOON FROM SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHERN LOUISIANA.
ON RARE OCCASIONS...THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS DO TOUCH THE GROUND AND
BRIEFLY BECOME WEAK TORNADOES. TYPICALLY THE WIND SPEEDS ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE FEATURES ARE 40 TO 60 MPH SO THEY DO POSE A THREAT TO
LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES. SINCE THESE TROPICAL FUNNELS ARE SHORT LIVED
AND RELATIVELY WEAK...THEY ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DETECT WITH
DOPPLER RADAR. KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER
IN A REINFORCED STRUCTURE SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS TYPICALLY LAST AN AVERAGE OF 8 TO 12 MINUTES.
IF THE FUNNELS DUE TOUCH DOWN...MINOR DAMAGE IS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
TO LIGHT WEIGHT STRUCTURES. FUNNEL CLOUDS OVER WATER...OR WATERSPOUTS
...COULD POSE PROBLEMS TO MARINERS...AND CAUTION SHOULD BE
EXERCISED.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
FOR LATER STATEMENTS. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE
OBTAINED THROUGH OUR HOME PAGE AT http://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LAKE CHARLES LA
330 PM CDT THU JUN 3 2004
GMZ450-455-LAZ041>045-051>055-TXZ215-216-040000-
ACADIA-CALCASIEU-CAMERON-CAMERON, LA TO HIGH ISLAND, TX OUT 20 NM-
IBERIA-JEFFERSON-JEFFERSON DAVIS-LAFAYETTE-
LOWER ATCHAFALAYA RIVER TO CAMERON, LA OUT 20 NM-LOWER ST MARTIN-
ORANGE-ST MARY-UPPER ST MARTIN-VERMILION-
330 PM CDT THU JUN 3 2004
...FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WATERSPOUTS POSSIBLE FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING...
TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS AND WATERSPOUTS ARE DEVELOPING ALONG THE SEA
BREEZE FRONT WHICH IS NEARLY STATIONARY NEAR THE INTRACOASTAL CANAL
THIS AFTERNOON FROM SOUTHEAST TEXAS AND SOUTHERN LOUISIANA.
ON RARE OCCASIONS...THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS DO TOUCH THE GROUND AND
BRIEFLY BECOME WEAK TORNADOES. TYPICALLY THE WIND SPEEDS ASSOCIATED
WITH THESE FEATURES ARE 40 TO 60 MPH SO THEY DO POSE A THREAT TO
LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURES. SINCE THESE TROPICAL FUNNELS ARE SHORT LIVED
AND RELATIVELY WEAK...THEY ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO DETECT WITH
DOPPLER RADAR. KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER
IN A REINFORCED STRUCTURE SHOULD THREATENING WEATHER APPROACH.
TROPICAL FUNNEL CLOUDS TYPICALLY LAST AN AVERAGE OF 8 TO 12 MINUTES.
IF THE FUNNELS DUE TOUCH DOWN...MINOR DAMAGE IS POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
TO LIGHT WEIGHT STRUCTURES. FUNNEL CLOUDS OVER WATER...OR WATERSPOUTS
...COULD POSE PROBLEMS TO MARINERS...AND CAUTION SHOULD BE
EXERCISED.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO..COMMERCIAL TELEVISION OR RADIO
FOR LATER STATEMENTS. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE
OBTAINED THROUGH OUR HOME PAGE AT http://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/LCH.
. Anyway, I typically hear them talk about these when daytime-heating thunderstorms develop really fast near the coast (usually along the seabreeze) and they spawn funnel clouds out of the towering cumulunimbus clouds (sp?). Not too sure about what else causes these to form, maybe I'll email one of the local mets to really find out.
