Funnel cloud spotted over Sanquhar

Aug 8 2012 by Sandy Kilpatrick, Dumfries Standard Wednesday

A FUNNEL cloud was seen swirling above the busy A76 in Nithsdale on Sunday.

Sanquhar student Barrie Wilson photographed the weather phenomenon after his mum spotted it from their front window at around 3pm.

Barrie, aged 19, said: “It was right over the Mennock pass. I kept thinking it was going to touch the ground and what would happen if it did.

“It was quite exciting to see what could have been a tornado in Scotland but it would have caused chaos.”

Funnel clouds form most frequently in association with supercell – rotating – thunderstorms.

A funnel that touches the ground becomes a tornado. However, most don’t make contact with the earth.

The former Sanquhar Academy pupil from Bell Crescent, added: “The weather is unreal, I don’t even know how to describe it.

“You’ve got sunshine one minute and you’re outside wearing shorts, the next it’s torrential rain and you’re inside geting the waterproofs on. You get six climates in on hour.

“It needs to make its mind up.”

Hail, torrential rain, and lighting strikes battered the region at the weekend.

Dumfries Show was closed prematurely as rain flooded Park Farm during the main parade on Saturday.

More than 1,300 homes and businesses and the Brooms Road traffic lights were left without power.

Seven-hundred customers were affected in Dumfries at around 1.40pm on Saturday afternoon. Power was restored to all homes by 3pm.

Meanwhile, locals in Castle Douglas were left in darkness at around 9pm. Power was restored by 9.15pm.

Lightening

A spokeswoman for Scottish Power said: “We apologise for the inconvenience caused by lightening strikes throughout the area.”

Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue crews received no weather related emergency calls during the storms from Friday to Tuesday.

Dumfries and Galloway Council’s phone system was put out of action by the weather.