I was traveling on Rt. 2 (right at the 306 exit) Sunday, Aug 20, 2006 around 4:00-4:15pm and I looked up into the grey clouds and saw a funnel cloud forming. I had 3 other people in the car with me that saw it as well. The cloud did "come down" a little bit but obviously formed into a tornado. Did anyone else report seeing this? - Valerie in Beachwood
Mark's response: Hi valerie,
What you saw was a "Cold Air Funnel"...a cousin of the traditional tornado. Cold Air funnels form when a chilly pocket of air moves horizontally over warmer water or land...usually just after a cold front has passed through. (Traditional tornadoes form in Severe Thunderstorms.) Cold Air Funnels are common in Ohio in the Fall. These funnels are weak and rarely touch down. If the funnel would have touched down, little if any damage would have occured. Thanks for writing in! - Mark Johnson