SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT: National Weather Service Warns of Potential "Cold Air Funnels" Today

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED JULY 30 AT 11:48AM EDT BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE 

Areas Affected: Decatur; Knox; Jennings; Jackson; Monroe; Shelby; Martin; Bartholomew; Brown; Rush; Greene; Daviess; Lawrence

Generally funnel clouds develop and occur in conjunction with conditions that produce severe thunderstorms. An entirely different conditions prevails across Central Indiana today. 

There is little potential for severe thunderstorms. 

Research studies of funnel cloud occurrences indicate that a different type of funnel cloud forms when weather conditions are similar to those of today. These are called cold air funnels and are not as violent as those associated with warm and humid conditions.  

Cold air funnels are associated with thunderstorms or showers that form in deep...cold core...large-scale low pressure systems. These funnel clouds are smooth and narrow. 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. 

 In rare cases when their circulations does reach the ground... cold air funnels cause only minor damage. 

More reports of small funnel clouds are possible over Central Indiana today. 

Warnings will be issued if any of them touch the ground.