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Was it a tornado? No, it was actually a landspout

The landspout was spotted on Sunday afternoon in Sun Lakes along Interstate 10.

SUN LAKES, Ariz. — Residents southeast of Phoenix took to social media Sunday afternoon for an explanation for what appeared to be a tornado in the sky.

The National Weather Service in Phoenix was quick to explain that it in fact was a landspout, not a tornado.

NWS Phoenix shared on Twitter that the landspout was likely a cold air funnel that briefly reached the ground.

Landspouts form beneath small storms when there is instability due to surface warmth under very cold air aloft, the NWS said.

Due to the landspout, a thunderstorm warning was issued near the area but expired shortly after at 4 p.m.

Credit: Susie Hastings
Funnel cloud in Gilbert today. From Susie Hastings in Gilbert Credit: Susie Hastings
Credit: Benny Friedlund
Credit: DeWitt Gibson
Credit: DeWitt Gibson

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