Gustnado facts for kids
A gustnado is a short-lived, swirling column of air that forms near the ground during a strong thunderstorm. Imagine the powerful winds that rush out from a thunderstorm, called a gust front. A gustnado is like a mini-vortex that spins up within these strong outflow winds. The name "gustnado" comes from combining "gust front" and "tornado" because it looks a bit like a tornado.
Gustnadoes are often noticed when they pick up dust, dirt, or other light debris, making them visible. Sometimes, they can even form small condensation clouds. However, it's the strong wind that truly makes a gustnado. These swirling air columns usually do not connect all the way from the ground to the base of the thundercloud. Because of this, most meteorologists do not consider them to be true tornadoes.
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What is a Gustnado?
A gustnado is a type of whirlwind that happens along the leading edge of a thunderstorm's cool air, known as the gust front. This front is where strong, straight-line winds blow out from the storm. When these winds have a lot of shear (meaning wind speeds or directions change quickly over a short distance), they can start to spin, creating a gustnado.
Most gustnadoes last only a few seconds to a few minutes. Sometimes, several can form at the same time or one after another. The winds inside a gustnado can be quite strong, often reaching speeds similar to a weak tornado, up to 110 km/h (70 mph). This is why people sometimes mistake them for actual tornadoes.
Gustnadoes vs. Tornadoes
It's important to know that gustnadoes are different from true tornadoes in several key ways:
- Formation: Gustnadoes form in the *outflow* of a thunderstorm, which is the air blowing *away* from the storm. True tornadoes, on the other hand, form in the *inflow*, which is the air being pulled *into* the storm, often linked to a rotating part of the storm called a mesocyclone.
- Connection to the Cloud: A major difference is that a gustnado's rotating column of air usually does not reach all the way up to the base of the thundercloud. True tornadoes always connect the ground to the cloud.
- Strength and Duration: Gustnadoes are generally weaker and much shorter-lived than most tornadoes.
- Classification: Because they don't connect to the cloud, gustnadoes are not counted in tornado statistics. If a gustnado *does* manage to connect to the cloud base, it then becomes a type of tornado called a landspout.
Where Do Gustnadoes Form?
Gustnadoes most commonly form along the gust front of a strong thunderstorm. These are often storms that produce very strong winds, sometimes over 93 km/h (58 mph). They are especially common along the back edge of the gust front of powerful supercell thunderstorms.
The strong winds and changes in wind direction along the gust front create the perfect conditions for these swirling columns of air to develop. It's like when water swirls down a drain, but with air!
Are Gustnadoes Dangerous?
While gustnadoes are usually not as dangerous as true tornadoes, stronger ones can still cause damage and be a hazard. They can create localized damage, meaning damage in a small area. They can also be dangerous for drivers, as they can suddenly appear and reduce visibility with dust and debris.
For example, on April 26, 2019, a gustnado was confirmed by the National Weather Service near Swan Quarter, North Carolina. It caused damage to buildings and had estimated winds of 130 km/h (80 mph). Luckily, no injuries or deaths were reported from this event.
There was also an event on August 13, 2011, when a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair. Some early news reports wondered if a gustnado was involved. However, later investigations showed that the stage collapsed because it wasn't built to withstand the strong winds present at that time, not because of a gustnado.
Related Weather Events
- Dust devil: These are small, swirling columns of air that form on sunny, warm days, usually in dry areas. They are caused by hot air rising from the ground.
- Fujita scale: This is a scale used to measure the intensity of tornadoes based on the damage they cause.
- Landspout: This is a type of tornado that forms from the ground up, often from a gustnado that connects to the cloud. They are not associated with a rotating thunderstorm (mesocyclone).
- Waterspout: This is essentially a tornado that forms over a body of water, like a lake or ocean.
