What is a gustnado?

October 2, 2008


Erica's Answer:

Not all thunderstorms have a gust front, and not all gust fronts produce gustnadoes.

A gust front sometimes develops in front of an approaching thunderstorm or complex of thunderstorms. It is caused by a strong burst of cool air, which results from the turbulence of a thunderstorm. If a gustnado forms in the midst of a gust front, it will most likely have EF0 or EF1 strength (winds below 110 mph), and will only last a few seconds to under a minute. These are the typical conditions for a gustnado.

- Erica

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