Burst
Written by: Li Jingshan
2020-06-08 10:45
Date of last update: 2020-06-08 10:51Rainstorms continued in Hong Kong and black, red and yellow rainstorm warning signals were issued for three consecutive days. At about 10 am this (8th) morning, the Observatory received a report on the water tornado at Chek Lap Kok. Some netizens uploaded pictures showing that a water tornado was present near the airport's third runway site, and the sky and sea formed a cloud column. According to netizens who uploaded pictures, the water tornado appeared shortly and disappeared in an instant.
A water tornado appears opposite the three-run construction site at Chek Lap Kok. (Samuel Tai Community Weather Observation Program CWOS)
The Observatory website describes a water tornado as a rapidly rotating column of clouds mixed with water droplets. The bottom of the convective cloud is connected to the water surface. The wind speed is generally lower than that of the tornado on land, which is rare in Hong Kong. Water tornadoes are divided into two types. The first type of water tornadoes occurs in relatively good weather and is not directly related to thunderstorms. They usually occur under rapidly developing thick cumulus clouds. The vortex started to develop on the sea first, and then gradually extended upwards. When the funnel formed, the water tornado had reached the mature stage. This type of water tornado has a short life cycle and moving path, which generally does not last more than 20 minutes. In addition, when they landed on land, they quickly dissipated, rarely going deep inland.
The formation mechanism and characteristics of the second type of water tornadoes are the same as those of tornadoes on land, usually related to severe thunderstorms. They are accompanied by severe weather such as strong winds and hail, and sometimes move to the sea after developing on land. This type of water tornado develops from top to bottom within the thunderstorm. In the initial stage, funnel clouds will appear first, and then gradually extend to the ground or the sea.
[Ting Nine Water Tornado, Car Cam] Tornado Ting Nine Bridge Straightening Expert: You can blow over the car
[Ting Kau water tornado, there is a film] Ting Kau Bridge is forced to hit the beach and roll up the canoe swimmers to avoid
[Straight hit the water tornado, there is a piece] Optimus water column rises like the top of a cargo ship.
Hong Kong Observatory
