High-Based Funnel Clouds in the Southern Plains

Abstract

Photographic evidence is presented of funnel clouds pendant from the bases of convective clouds whose updrafts appear to be rooted well above the boundary layer. These funnel clouds occur in environments supportive of severe convective storms, under dissipating cumulus humilis, cumulus congestus, and low-precipitation cumulonimbus, and on the rear side of supercell and multicell convective storms. Since these funnel clouds do not become tornadoes, spotters should learn to distinguish them from the potentially tornadic funnel clouds that occur under convective clouds that are rooted in the boundary layer.