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UAE: Videos of 'tornado-like' storm go viral; NCM clarifies landspout 'not dangerous'

A tornado 'usually forms due to a rotating upward current inside a thunderstorm,' the authority said in the statement

Published: Thu 24 Oct 2024, 6:15 PM

Updated: Sun 27 Oct 2024, 9:00 PM

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The landspout that formed on Wednesday (October 23) in Ras Al Khaimah’s Khedira area “is different from a tornado and is not classified as a dangerous weather phenomenon”, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) clarified on Thursday.

In a statement sent to Khaleej Times, NCM said: “The landspout that formed yesterday attracted a lot of attention, especially with videos and photos being circulated, which might have made it seem like a tornado. However, it is different from a tornado.”

NCM explained a land spout is not as strong as a tornado that causes damage.

“A landspout is similar to a waterspout – as both form from the ground (or water) up to the cloud,” explained the spokesperson for the UAE weather bureau, adding: “It is difficult to detect land spouts and waterspouts with radar because they are low, small in size, and weak in intensity.”

Watch the video below:

This is why NCM usually relies on public reports to record their occurrence.

NCM added: “A land spout has two different air masses meeting, each with distinct physical properties, and the presence of vertical rotation near the ground. As a result, the landspout is weak and lasts for a short period. Sometimes it is accompanied by strong winds that lift dust and sand into the air.”

Meanwhile, a tornado – which is more violent – “usually forms due to a rotating upward current inside a thunderstorm, while a land spout forms when the thunderstorm is in its developing stage.”

Huge land spouts, which appear like tornados, were spotted in Kalba, Ras Al Khaimah in videos the NCM shared on Wednesday. Rains could be seen showering the area as massive dust formations could be seen swirling across the location.

Some parts of the UAE also witnessed a massive storm on Wednesday. Authorities took to social media to warn residents of moderate to heavy rains.

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