Tornado with debris at tail

Photo courtesy of the National Severe Storms Laboratory

This tapering cone doesn't appear to be in contact with the ground, but a close inspection reveals the telltale presence of debris being kicked up by its tail. Twisters, in their appearance, can fool poorly trained storm spotters. Sometimes, particularly in dry environments, they will not be "filled out" all the way down. But what seems to be only a hovering funnel cloud may be actually a tornado, spinning furiously on the ground.