My newly born again, 5 year old grandson, has been talking about tornadoes 
and funnel clouds for weeks.  He keeps saying he wants to see one.  Well, 
today, he did.  He looked out, as the storm approached, and said, "Hey, the 
funnel cloud/tornado, is coming closer to the ground over our house.  My son 
looked out, and it was true and confirmed by the national weather service 
and by the ham radio tornado spotters on my radio I was listening to.  It 
passed over and went east but then dissipated and never touched down.  Did 
you know that a tornado does not need to touch the ground to be called a 
tornado?  When the tail of the funnel clouds is still several hundred feet 
above the ground, it begins to generate what is called a debris cloud.  The 
winds can be upwards of 100 miles an hour on the ground stirring up dust, 
lose boards, bottles, and anything that isn't nailed down or maybe was 
nailed down but sucked up off the ground level by the high winds.  The 
minute a debris cloud is generated, regardless of how high the tail of the 
funnel is off the ground, it then becomes an official tornado on the ground 
although it hasn't yet touched down.  Anyhow, Elijah saw one today but 
praise God, it didn't come down or I may not be talking to you now.

Phil.


Phil.