Watch: Landspout spotted spinning south of Phoenix
A landspout is a type of tornado with a narrow condensation funnel that forms while thunderstorms are still building. Landspouts' spinning motion originates near the ground and stretches their column of air upwards into the storm.
Landspout spotted southeast of Phoenix
On Sunday, residents spotted a landspout, a type of tornado, as severe storms moved through the Phoenix area Sunday afternoon
After a busy weekend of severe weather, residents across the Phoenix area were surprised to see a landspout spin just south of the city.
Videos show the landspout touching down in a field in Sun Lakes before 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for the storm and said it did not pose a threat to those traveling along I-10.
What is a landspout?
A landspout is a type of tornado with a narrow condensation funnel that forms while thunderstorms are still building. Landspouts don't have rotating updrafts like some damaging tornadoes that form during springtime. Instead, landspouts' spinning motion originates near the ground and stretches their column of air upwards into the cumulus cloud.
Landspout spotted southeast of Phoenix on Sunday.
(Maria Guadalupe / FOX 10)
The National Weather Service says there are two types of tornadoes: those associated with supercell thunderstorms and those not, which are landspouts.
Landspouts are known to be much weaker and shorter-lived than tornadoes that form from supercell thunderstorms. Landspout winds rarely exceed 100 mph, the NWS says.