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When storms swept across Cincinnati Saturday evening, they produced some winds and hail — but the National Weather Service also confirmed the presence of a “gustnado,” according to WLWT5. Check out a video of the weather phenomenon, caught by a boater along the Ohio River, below.
According to the NWS, a person filmed a swirling column of air over the river at around 5:10 p.m. on Saturday in Sayler Park. It eventually moved to land and caused damage over Catalpa Road, Gracey Drive and Fernbank Avenue.
The NWS estimated winds were likely 70-80 mph. Numerous trees were damaged, and some were even completely knocked over or uprooted and thrown onto nearby homes and power lines.
But what is a gustnado? Here is a definition provided by NOAA's National Weather Service:
A gustnado is a small, whirlwind which forms as an eddy in thunderstorm outflows. They do not connect with any cloud-base rotation and are not tornadoes. Since their origin is associated with cumuliform clouds, gustnadoes will be classified as Thunderstorm Wind events. Like dust devils, some stronger gustnadoes can cause damage.
But according to the NWS, this particular gustnado was not directly associated with a thunderstorm. In fact, it formed several miles ahead of a thunderstorm.