Tornado or dust devil?
That's actually a question we get asked quite often in the weather department. Moe Brett sent in some video on February 22, 2022 during a High Wind Warning, showing a large column of dust. Moe also asked that same question. This was definitely a dust devil. Dust devils form at the surface from swirling winds, while tornadoes are the result on thunderstorm activity. During convective thunderstorm activity, strong updrafts can begin to rotate (that's called a mesocycle) and at the base of the cloud a funnel of water vapor and droplets form. When that funnel cloud descends to the surface it's called a tornado.
The dust column captured on video here is definitely a dust devil, swirling slowly. The winds we saw over that two-day period produced a lot of blowing sand and dust, and this is how it climbs into the atmosphere from the surface.
Tornadoes are measure in strength on the Enhance-Fujita (EF) Scale, from 0 to 5. An EF0 tornado has winds circulating around the center from 65 to 85mph, while EF 5 reaches speeds in excess of 200mph.
Dust devils are usually harmless and only last a few minutes. The dust column captured by Moe Brett may have lasted longer because of the severe winds in the Valley at that time.
