A landspout tornado was spotted on Saturday afternoon in the Menifee area, prompting several witnesses to post photos and videos of the phenomenon on social media.
The tornado was reported to the National Weather Service at 2:45 p.m. It formed after sea breezes pushed around the Santa Ana Mountains, from the northwest and southeast, and met in a “convergence zone” in Riverside County, the agency said.
“As these winds intersect, horizontal sheer develops, along with a rapid rising motion,” the Weather Service explained in a Facebook post. “Landspout tornadoes can often form this way.”
According to the weather service, the “usually weak” phenomena rarely causes much damage.
KTLA viewer Alexis Morales- Nicholson, who captured the incident on video, said it occurred near Domenigoni Parkway (map).
There were no reports of injuries or damage.
