A fearsome, yet spectacular string tornado just hit Albay province

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Afar and in our viewing safety, the string tornado that formed and hit a portion somewhere in the vicinity of Legazpi city at about 4 PM yesterday looked spectacular and amazing. But it gave me goose bumps.

While I don’t have any info on what definite spot of the province the “phenomenon” hit, the view from Albay gulf is just fearsome.

As most of tornados, this one has a small column, but also with violently rotating column of air.

According to informed authorities, tornadoes rotate while in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud like the pictures here.

In some countries like the USA, the environmental disturbance is popularly referred to as twisters or cyclones which come in varied shapes, formations and sizes.

Generally, it comes in the form of a very visible condensation funnel with a narrow end touching the ground and often encircled by a cloud of dust and more often than not, debris.

In most cases, tornadoes carry wind speeds of less than 100 kilometers per hour, with approximate diameter of 80 meters. Typically, it would cross the ground for several miles before finally dissipating.

Some areas devastated by tornadoes experience wind speeds of more than 480 kilometers per hour with a harrowing diameter of 3 kilometers and scourge a vast area on its path.

Very lately, sightings of tornadoes in Bicol is becoming common when before it was not heard of. Has this something to do with climate change?

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Dr. Elnora Brocales

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