I haven't heard of this before...sounds like it could be fun. Special Weather Statement SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INDIANAPOLIS IN 1135 AM EDT FRI MAY 16 2014 INZ021-028>031-035>049-051>057-060>065-067>072-162200- CARROLL-WARREN-TIPPECANOE-CLINTON-HOWARD-FOUNTAIN-MONTGOMERY- BOONE-TIPTON-HAMILTON-MADISON-DELAWARE-RANDOLPH-VERMILLION-PARKE- PUTNAM-HENDRICKS-MARION-HANCOCK-HENRY-VIGO-CLAY-OWEN-MORGAN- JOHNSON-SHELBY-RUSH-SULLIVAN-GREENE-MONROE-BROWN-BARTHOLOMEW- DECATUR-KNOX-DAVIESS-MARTIN-LAWRENCE-JACKSON-JENNINGS- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LAFAYETTE...FRANKFORT...KOKOMO... CRAWFORDSVILLE...ANDERSON...MUNCIE...INDIANAPOLIS...TERRE HAUTE... SHELBYVILLE...BLOOMINGTON...COLUMBUS...VINCENNES...BEDFORD... SEYMOUR 1135 AM EDT FRI MAY 16 2014 ...COLD AIR FUNNELS POSSIBLE TODAY... GENERALLY FUNNEL CLOUDS DEVELOP AND OCCUR IN CONJUNCTION WITH CONDITIONS THAT PRODUCE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT CONDITION PREVAILS ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA TODAY. THERE IS LITTLE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. RESEARCH STUDIES OF FUNNEL CLOUD OCCURRENCES INDICATE THAT A DIFFERENT TYPE OF FUNNEL CLOUD FORMS WHEN WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE SIMILAR TO THOSE OF TODAY. THESE ARE CALLED COLD AIR FUNNELS...AND ARE NOT AS VIOLENT AS THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH WARM AND HUMID CONDITIONS. COLD AIR FUNNELS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM IN DEEP... COLD-CORE...LARGE-SCALE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS. THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS ARE SMOOTH AND NARROW. THEIR PARENT THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT PARTICULARLY TALL OR INTENSE. THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS NORMALLY PROTRUDE A FEW HUNDRED FEET DOWNWARD FROM THE PARENT CLOUDS...ROTATE OR SPIN LIKE A TOP...AND LAST A FEW MINUTES BEFORE DISSIPATING. IN RARE CASES WHEN THEIR CIRCULATIONS DO REACH THE GROUND...COLD AIR FUNNELS CAUSE ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. MORE REPORTS OF SMALL FUNNEL CLOUDS ARE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL INDIANA TODAY. WARNINGS WILL BE ISSUED IF ANY OF THEM TOUCH THE GROUND. $$
I remember watching several one afternoon in the fall, probably 10-12 years ago. Definitely interesting.
They're pretty common on the Michigan lakeshore in the fall when the water is warm and the air is cool. Pretty neat to watch.
I forget the whole situation, but I was around Ann Arbor. Crazy clouds, rain showers, hail. Never heard of any damage, but it was a crazy day.
