Funnel cloud spotted near Newdale nothing to worry about, officials say

NEWDALE — A funnel cloud in the Newdale area caused some alarm on Thursday afternoon. However, officials at the National Weather Service say it’s nothing to be alarmed about.

“That’s what we call a cold funnel,” NWS meteorologist Dawn Miller told EastIdahoNews.com. “In this type of atmospheric makeup, we get those.”

But what is it?

Cold funnels usually occur most during the fall and spring, when the sun’s rays heat the lower layers of the atmosphere. As the air becomes warmer and less dense, it rises in bubbles. When the warm, moist air from the earth’s surface rises and encounters colder temperatures at higher altitudes, it can create cold funnels, which are narrow, rotating columns of air, according to NWS.

It’s important to note that cold funnels are different from tornadoes. They are generally weak and rarely reach the ground. They are usually short-lived and don’t cause significant damage. However, they can be interesting to observe and study, providing valuable insights into the dynamics of the atmosphere.

“They mostly just look scary,” Miller said.