Whirlwind/Dustdevil occurances

Archive of General Weather
Forum rules
These topics are a read-only archive and may be subject to out-of-date information.

For today's weather discussion head to: New Zealand Weather & Climate
User avatar
Willoughby
Site Admin
Posts: 4443
Joined: Sat 14/06/2003 16:18
Location: Darwin, Australia: Storm city

Whirlwind/Dustdevil occurances

Unread post by Willoughby »

After witnessing many whirlwinds here in Hamilton, and one at Mt Maunganui beach all during fine weather, i'm most interested in your personal experiences of them... how many have you seen?

My dad was playing tennis last weekend at the tennis complex here and everyone stopped suddenly as this 50m high whirlwind was circulating around the complex a number of times before dying out some 10 minutes later!
The rotation in this tiny vortex in the whirlwinds are amazing, producing 40-50km/h winds on a micro-scale.

As Deaks would say... yours please! :D
Top
Manukau heads obs
Posts: 12305
Joined: Mon 10/03/2003 16:30
Location: West Coast Road, Manukau Peninsula, North Island

Unread post by Manukau heads obs »

they are neat to watch on a hay paddock...all the hay gets lifted up high and can end up in the neighbours paddock....
i have driven few some on the tractor while turning hay, LOL
Image
Brian Hamilton, weather enthusiast. My weather dataEmail: [email protected]
Top
spwill
Posts: 10200
Joined: Sun 29/06/2003 22:39
Location: Mt Eden Auckland

Unread post by spwill »

Saw hundreds of Dust Devils on a drive across southwest USA one August.
Some were very spectacular rising hundreds of feet into the air but usually lasted less than 10 mins.
Top
User avatar
NZstorm
Posts: 11333
Joined: Mon 10/03/2003 19:38
Location: Grey Lynn, Auckland

Unread post by NZstorm »

I saw a big dust devil from the plane landing at Phoenix this year. They are just part of the scenery over there.

Can you remember the dust devil video we had on this forum a year or two back from a soccer game in Japan. Very funny to watch but gave an idea of how strong they can be in the right conditions.

Can't say I've noticed them much in NZ. Just very small ones. :)
Top
Fujita Phil
Posts: 759
Joined: Wed 03/12/2003 15:44
Location: Dunedin, NZ

Unread post by Fujita Phil »

On Lake Benmore years ago we were out waterskiing, saw a vortex not far from us and being young teenage boys headed straight for it. We speed straight through it, with skier in tow. Had this amazing feeling of the wind coming from everywhere, fast, all of a sudden. Bloody cool 8)

I've seen a few of these around the lakes up there. Saw one on Lake Dunstan as I drove through the gorge to Cromwell a few years back too.
There is no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes.
Top
Gary Roberts
Posts: 2363
Joined: Sun 18/01/2004 18:59
Location: Omarama

Unread post by Gary Roberts »

Fujita Phil wrote:On Lake Benmore years ago we were out waterskiing, saw a vortex not far from us and being young teenage boys headed straight for it. We speed straight through it, with skier in tow. Had this amazing feeling of the wind coming from everywhere, fast, all of a sudden. Bloody cool 8)

I've seen a few of these around the lakes up there. Saw one on Lake Dunstan as I drove through the gorge to Cromwell a few years back too.
Yep, there are some great effects going on all the time around here.

Also I once saw three waterspouts performing together off the Kaikoura coast.
Top

Return to “2005”