Now that was cool.

[TheBeast]

I just watched a small funnel cloud come across the 4-lane and across my parking lot. I heard rocks hitting the guardrail and looked and saw a small funnel and didn't think nothing of it then noticed it in the median heading towards my lot. It kept getting bigger and faster as it moved by the time it got to the dirt and gravel on the upper end of the lot it was quite large and picking up bigger gravel not just little tiny pebles. It went right across NotSoSilentBobs car and shook it and it completely covered it and hid it in the dust.
Didn't have time to get inside to grab the camera, but that was one of the neatest things I have ever witnessed in person. Now that was enough I don't need to see one any bigger that was a perfect example.

[1inStripes]

I guess NSSB didn't think that was too cool then. Glad I stopped by yesterday and not today.

[imported_elp6n]

It was likely a dust devil - weather is about right for them.

[SWVA-Football]

Yeah, it sounds like a dust devil. They are similar in appearance to a tornado (funnel cloud) but the damage they cause and the wind speed(s) is significantly less most of the time.

From most of the pictures and videos I've seen, though, they seem to appear most often in dry areas and/or with few or no clouds in the sky. Did the funnel come out of a (cumulous) cloud by any chance, or did you even notice?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_devil

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[TheBeast]

Of course it was a dust devil, just used the term funnel cloud because it is one of sorts and that's the first thing that popped in my head. It was just the biggest one I have seen around these parts, usually don't get that big around here. The best I could tell you it didn't come from a cloud, when I first noticed it it was picking up tiny little rocks and they were hitting the guardrail across the road and then it progressed across the road to my lot where it was as described. It wasn't as big as the one in your vid. Just that you don't see them get that big around here normally.

[SWVA-Football]

I've not seen a single one around here. [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img]

How often do they appear, regardless of size?

The closest I've ever seen to a "dust devil" is a bunch of leaves beginning to swirl in a funnel-like pattern, though it only lasts a few seconds and everything just falls back to its place.

[TheBeast]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PassMan</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The closest I've ever seen to a "dust devil" is a bunch of leaves beginning to swirl in a funnel-like pattern, though it only lasts a few seconds and everything just falls back to its place. </div></div>

That is usually what you get they start around this time of year and mostly you see the little nothing few second things on baseball fields or anywhere it can pick up some dust or leaves. That is the first time I have seen an actual dust devil like that around here.

[beamer_ball]

Seen one probably about the size of the one in the video up on the hill in Wise where the new Walmart was being built back then. The others have been smaller, brief ones. Normally they're weak enough to run through and get sand blasted at least [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img] Some of the rare stronger ones can have winds up to 60-70, I think those usually occur in the west.