Tornado sirens sound for cold weather funnel cloud formation in Anderson

 ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) – Tornado sirens sounded in Anderson on Tuesday afternoon after a police officer and the public spotted what appeared to be a funnel cloud.

The cloud formation was later determined to be a cold weather funnel cloud, according to the National Weather Service and Storm Track 8 meteorologist Randy Ollis.

Police and the public spotted the cloud around 12:45 p.m. on Anderson’s south side. The cloud is a high based weak circulation that occurs in a cool air mass. These clouds rarely cause damage, but look threatening.

An all clear for residents in Anderson was issued. However, citizens should remain on alert if the sirens are activated.What is a cold air funnel?

A cold air funnel is cause by weak circulation based higher up in the atmosphere compared to traditional funnel clouds or tornadoes.

Since the circulation occurs higher above the Earth’s surface, the circulation rarely touches the ground. Unlike tornadoes, cold air funnels develop in a colder pool of air, where winds in the lower part of the atmosphere intersect with winds higher in the atmosphere, creating a brief spin not associated with a thunderstorm.

These circulations usually last for only a minute or two and are eventually cut off by winds dying off or rain falling, which cuts off the circulation.