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Not always. The funnel is only the portion of the tornado that is visible. The winds of a tornado at ground level may still be capable of causing significant damage even if the visible funnel does not reach ground level. When this occurs it is usually evidenced by swirling dust or debris beneath the funnel. That is usually enough to report a tornado. Oftentimes, though, the funnel does touch the ground in which case there is definitely a tornado. Also of note is that sometimes you have a funnel that does not produce damaging winds on the ground. These are not counted in tornado statistics.

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Related Questions

What do you call a tornado that does not touch the ground?

A tornado that does not touch the ground is a funnel cloud.


What is funnel clouds that touch the ground?

tornado


Is a funnel cloud a tornado?

Not technically. It is the beginning of a tornado, but they are categorized differently. It is not considered a tornado until it reaches the ground with damaging winds.


What is the difference between a funnel cloud and tornado?

A funnel cloud is a rotating column of air that does not reach the ground, while a tornado is a funnel cloud that extends to the ground and causes damage. Both are formed from the same weather conditions and can be associated with severe thunderstorms.


What is the part of the tornado that touches the ground called?

A tornado that doesn't touch the ground isn't a tornado; it is a funnel cloud. However if the funnel is pulling debris off the ground or making some other type of contact with the ground it is a tornado.


The beginnings of a tornado are known as a funnel cloud?

Yes. A tornado is often visible as a funnel cloud as it develops.


Why does a tornado have to touch the ground to be a tornado?

By the meteorological definition a tornado extends from cloud base to the ground. If it does not, it cannot produce damage. However, just because the visible funnel doesn't touch the ground doesn't mean the strong winds don't. It is the vortex of wind which defines a tornado, not the funnel.


Does a tornado have to touch the ground in order to be a tornado?

Yes, a tornado is defined as a rotating column of air reaching the ground from a cumulonimbus cloud. If it does not touch the ground, it is technically considered a funnel cloud. Tornadoes that do not touch down are typically not as damaging as those that do.


What do the air in a tornado do when the funnel touch the ground?

When a tornado funnel touches the ground, the air near the surface rushes inward at high speeds and begins to rotate rapidly. This rotation causes the funnel cloud to extend downward, allowing the tornado to make contact with the ground and causing destruction in its path.


When the tip of the funnel cloud touches the ground it becomes a?

tornado clouds


What is a name for a funnel cloud touching the ground?

A funnel cloud that touches the ground is commonly known as a tornado.


When a tornado has not touched the ground yet what is it called?

When a tornado has not touched the ground yet, it is called a funnel cloud. A funnel cloud is a rotating cone-shaped cloud descending from the base of a thunderstorm but not reaching the ground. Once it touches the ground, it is classified as a tornado.