KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 14 — The mini tornado or landspout that struck Damansara, Selangor, yesterday evening was caused by active thunderstorm clouds (cumulonimbus), said Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip.
He said a tornado is a fast-rotating column of air, formed by the presence of wind shear and updrafts during the development of thunderstorm clouds.
Mohd Hisham said tornadoes in Malaysia occur only on a relatively small scale, measuring less than 10 metres and lasting for a very short time.
“This makes their formation difficult to detect by radar and weather satellites, but MetMalaysia had issued a thunderstorm warning for districts in Selangor at 5.30pm on October 13,” he told Bernama today.
