These funnel clouds are NOT tornadoes but folks in southeast Wisconsin should be on the lookout anyway
Residents in southeast Wisconsin should be on the lookout for funnel clouds as rain moves through the area on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.
The funnel clouds are not the same as tornadoes.
Tornadoes are violently rotating columns of air that are in contact with the ground.
Funnel clouds are not in contact with the ground.
The funnel clouds that may appear on Wednesday are expected to have very weak rotation and are also expected to remain off the ground, said Rebecca Rogers, a meteorologist at the weather service office in Sullivan.
"There's some cold air aloft that is helping these (funnel clouds) form," Rogers said. "We expect them to be weak and brief and not to touch down."
Still, if you see one, it's probably a good idea to head inside, Rogers said.
"Just be aware," Rogers said. "You may see one and if you do, it's better to move indoors."
"Safety comes first," she added.
Contact Joe Taschler at (414) 224-2554 or jtaschler@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeTaschler or Facebook at facebook.com/joe.taschler.1.