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What is the difference between a funnel cloud and a tornado? What is a funnel cloud?

April 26, 2017Cloud difference funnel tornado

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What is the difference between a funnel cloud and a tornado? What is a funnel cloud?

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In a tornado, damaging circulation is on the ground—whether or not the cloud is. A true funnel cloud rotates, but has no ground contact or debris, and does no damage. If it is a low-hanging cloud with no rotation, it is not a funnel cloud. Caution: tornadoes can occur without a funnel, and what looks like “only” a funnel cloud may be doing damage that cannot be seen from a distance. Because it may quickly become a tornado, any funnel cloud (remember rotation!) should be reported by spotters.