RUSHVILLE, Ind. -- Rushville residents spotted what they thought was a funnel cloud Tuesday – but it was actually something much less serious.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday's weather conditions weren't right for tornadoes – but were right to produce what's known as a cold-air funnel cloud.
"These funnel clouds are smooth and narrow," the NWS said in a statement. "The parent storm or shower is not particularly tall or intense. These funnel clouds normally protrude a few hundred feet downward from the parent clouds, rotate or spin like a top, and last only a few minutes before dissipating."
The NWS said that in the rare occasions when a cold-air funnel does touch the ground, it will only cause minor damage.
