Landspouts are a type of tornado that forms during the growth stage of a cumulus congestus cloud by stretching boundary layer vorticity upward and into the cumulus congestus's updraft. ... Landspouts are considered tornadoes since a rapidly rotating column of air is in contact with both the surface and a cumuliform cloud.

What causes a landspout?

A landspout requires a towering cumulus cloud to be present over a boundary of converging winds near the surface. As that cumulus cloud grows and passes over the boundary, the rotating air is stretched vertically and eventually grows into a landspout.

What is a landspout and how does it form?

A landspout is a tornado with a narrow, rope-like condensation funnel that forms while the thunderstorm cloud is still growing and there is no rotating updraft - the spinning motion originates near the ground. ... Damage from these types of tornadoes tends to be EF2 or less.