By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

With the recent sighting of what’s known as a cold air funnel down by Chenoa Monday evening, Pontiac Fire Chief Scott Runyon explains the difference between those and a tornado.

Runyon said cold air funnels are considered a tornado lookalike, but are very different.

“They form a little bit higher. They’re usually a little bit smaller. They can protrude down three or four hundred feet. Some of them can make it to the ground. Then they usually just suck right back up and disappear. The biggest difference (between them and a tornado) is they do not come out of a formed thunderstorm cell. They’re just an anomaly that pops out of certain types of clouds during certain weather conditions,” Runyon said.

He suggests doing an online search to learn more about cold air funnels.

“There’s all kinds of stuff in there that will explain them and give you pictures. They’re really cool to look at because they’re usually smooth and well defined, but they’re not a devastating tornado,” Runyon said.