There was quite a spectacle at the Louisville Fairgrounds on Wednesday. From across the city, folks witnessed a gigantic funnel cloud of dirt.
Huge Louisville Dust Devil Video
A dust devil hundreds of feet tall was seen swirling around and caught on camera by a man named Dave Tors captured it while working at the UPS Worldport nearby. Here it is shared by the news station WLKY.
What is a Dust Devil?
According to the National Weather Service, a dust devil is similar to a tornado in how it forms, but typically smaller and less intense than a tornado. Which, if I understand correctly, would make this occurrence a bit of an anomaly because of its enormous size.
“Dust devils form in areas of strong surface heating, usually at the interface between different surface types, such as asphalt and dirt, or even irrigated fields and dirt roads. Typically, they occur under clear skies and light winds, when the ground can warm the air to temperatures well above the temperatures just above the ground.”
How Big Are Dust Devils?
The contrasting temperatures create an unstable atmospheric situation. A pocket of hot air from the ground will shoot up through the cooler air. This can potentially cause a rotating vortex of dust and dirt. “Typical diameters of dust devils range from 10 to 300 feet, with an average height of approximately 500 to 1000 feet.”
When Do Dust Devils Occur?
They don’t last long and usually occur mid-day when the sun is hottest. Apparently, the area around the Louisville fairgrounds and airport is a prime location for them to appear, as this is not the first time it has happened there. This is from a few months ago…