A ‘gustnado?’ What the heck is that?

We even saw… gustnadoes?

It’s not like a Sharknado, but sounds as made up as one!

Check out this video from a viewer in Northlake showing rotation.

There are several key differences between a gustnado and a tornado. 

First of all, they’re not as destructive. 

The winds can be enhanced with one, but they’re rarely very damaging. Another key difference? 

They’re NOT attached to the base of thunderstorms like tornadoes. If you look at the video above, you won’t see much debris flying around like you’d expect to see with a tornado. 

Also, it does not appear to be attached to the base of the thunderstorm… but ahead of the leading edge of the line of thunderstorms. 

Check out the explainer video below. Essentially, rain-cooled air that rushes out ahead of a line of thunderstorms can sometimes lead to a little rotation as it interacts with the warm, moist air ahead of it.