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A city in Waikato witnessed a rare weather event Friday afternoon – a funnel-shaped cloud.
The unusual cloud is a cone-shaped spiral of air created from a disruption in the atmosphere during the activity of a thunderstorm.
It was seen in Taupō, near Mount Tauhara around 3:30 p.m. before it quickly dispersed, bringing in sunlight shortly after.
Judith Hancock was driving through Taupō visiting whānau when she witnessed the dramatic show. It instantly stopped and started recording.
Judith Handcock / Supplied
A funnel cloud is a cone-shaped cloud created from an interruption in the atmosphere during the activity of a thunderstorm.
“We saw it turn and it didn’t hit the ground, but it was really close,” Hancock said.
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“It was quite amazing to watch.
“It was quite dramatic. There were blue skies to one side of the lake and this terrifying dark cloud over Tauhara. “
While a funnel cloud is not a weather phenomenon, NIWA metrologist Ben Noll said it is “relatively rare” to see them in New Zealand.
“Based on our research, seven to ten events of strong tornado activity are reported in New Zealand each year,” said Noll.
However, Taranaki seemed to have a “preference for tornadic activity,” he said.
“The atmosphere on the North Island and the upper South Island is quite ready for thunderstorm activity at the moment.
“We have a humid air mass and some sunlight that fuels the instability in the atmosphere, and we have what is known as a trigger, which basically triggers the activity of the storm and it comes in the form of a little disturbance in the top. of the atmosphere.
The upper-level low-pressure system, which covers the western part of the North Island, west of Taupō, is causing the air to rotate creating a cone shape towards the ground, he said.
The difference between a tornado and a funnel cloud is that a tornado touches the ground and a funnel cloud disperses before reaching the ground.
The activity has now moved to the east of Taupō.
