© Stephen Lewins
Rothbury, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Latitude: 55° 16' 22'' N
Longitude: 1° 59' 36'' W
27 August 2010 1418 (Local Time)
Image P/S code: P.11.5.1.5
Image I.D.: 5706
This funnel cloud developed from the base of a cumuliform cloud (Cumulus congestus or Cumulonimbus) that was associated with a trough and located in a showery northerly airflow over north-east England, UK.
While all tornadoes begin with the development of a funnel cloud that subsequently reaches the ground, cold-air funnels, such as the one illustrated here, arise from localized convective and shear vortices and are not associated with larger scale mesocyclones. Cold-air funnels typically develop from Cumulus congestus or Cumulonimbus clouds. They usually do not reach the ground, but when they do (as tornadoes) they are much less violent than tornadoes associated with mesocyclones.
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A series of fronts lay to the south of UK, over continental Europe. Northern England, UK was affected by an unstable northerly airflow with troughs.
This MSG satellite image from a little under two hours after the photograph was taken shows convective cells associated with a trough stretching through Wales to north-east England, UK.
A funnel cloud is a type of spout. This cold-air funnel developed from the base of cumuliform cloud in an unstable airflow on the coast of south Wales, UK.
Cold-air funnels such as this one arise from localized convective and shear vortices associated with Cumulus congestus or Cumulonimbus and are not associated with larger scale mesocyclones.
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