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  • James Laudenslager snapped this photo of a tropical funnel cloud while on the Neches River near Atlantic Road in Port Arthur on Thursday. Photo courtesy of James Laudenslager

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July 5, 2012

Tropical funnel clouds seen in area on Thursday

Mary Meaux The Port Arthur News

— The National Weather Service-Lake Charles received several reports of funnel clouds seen in the Port Arthur-Beaumont area on Thursday.

James Laudenslager saw one of the funnel clouds up close and personal before the twirling mass dissipated about 10:30 a.m. July 5. The Port Arthur man was at work on the Neches River near Atlantic Road and came within several hundred yards of the funnel cloud.

Port Neches resident Aaron Beavens was driving down FM 366 in Port Neches about 10:23 a.m. July 5 when he snapped a photo of the odd sight. The cloud appeared to be near the city of Groves toward Sabine Lake.

Joe Rua, meteorologist with the NWS, said that the clouds were actually tropical funnel clouds and not super cell tornadoes that are known to strike the Midwest.

“From observation, these appear to be tropical funnel clouds,” Rua said. “They form in tropical type air masses when there is a high moisture content, high instability and weak winds aloft when showers start to develop. They form real fast and normally last about a minute or less. Most times they do not touch down.”

Tropical funnel clouds usually don’t cause much damage since they do not touch down and there were no reports of damage from the funnel clouds as of Thursday afternoon.

Had there been a chance of severe weather or super cell tornadoes, the NWS would have issued a warning.

“We tell people to keep an eye on them just in case,” Rua added.

No severe weather was reported at the time the  funnel clouds were reported.

mmeaux@panews.com

 

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