Codex · Tornado
Rope Tornado
A thin, twisting tornado shaped like a rope. Many tornadoes become ropes as they weaken, but some thin tornadoes are intense while they last.
How to spot it
A narrow, often curving or kinked column, sometimes tilting well away from vertical.
On radar
Often a small, short-lived velocity signature, hard to detect at a distance.
Safety
A thin tornado can still cause damage along its path. Do not assume it is harmless.
Related
Last reviewed 2 November 2026