ROANOKE, Va. – A lot of people are on edge following the Tennessee tornadoes of this past week. Fortunately, what Ricky Knowles caught on camera was harmless. A dust devil formed in the Hill City, lasting only a few seconds.
Dust devils usually form during hot, dry spells. In this case, any limited heat from the surface began to rise. As it rises, a very tiny area of low pressure formed. The air rushes toward low pressure to fill the void (fill the lack of air).
As this happens, a circulation develops and can move quickly.
This quick circulation sustains itself, before cooler air flowing inward eventually chokes it off and kills it.
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