New Mexico Fire-Devils

W.J. (Bill) Dean (U.K.). wrote:
If thermals rotate, why don't the clouds rotate?

Apparently, most thermals lose what rotation they have by the time the
cloud forms, or perhaps forming a cloud causes the end of the rotation.
I have seen (albeit rarely) dust devils that went to cloud base at 6000'
to 8000' agl, but did not notice any rotation in the cloud itself. The
diameter of the dust devil was much less than that cloud diameter, so I
would not expect the entire cloud to rotate.

Of course, unless you intend to fly in a cloud (not likely for us in the
USA), it's direction of rotation isn't important.


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Eric Greenwell
Washington State
USA