‘An indescribable sound’ and shacks being blown over: Weather service confirms landspout

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) on Monday 28 August 2023 confirmed the strong winds that lashed parts of Cape Town were caused by an EF-1 landspout.

The service explained landspouts are similar to a tornado but are much weaker and smaller in scale.

Saws said the landspout occurred near Morningstar Airfield, north of Cape Town in the Cape Farms region on Thursday, 25 August just after 10 am.

A well-developed cold front made landfall over the southwestern parts of the Western Cape and brought cold, wet, and windy weather across the province.

Injuries

Three people were injured and multiple properties damaged by the adverse weather conditions.

SAWS said the “wind phenomenon” developed roughly 10km inland from Melkbosstrand, near the Morningstar Airfield and the Wolwerivier settlement, and moved eastward over the N7 main road. It dissipating at the Olifantskop Farm.

In total, the landspout travelled approximately 4.39km before dissipating,” SAWS said.

A resident recalled “an indescribable sound” and noticed a nearby roof being torn off soon after.

The main damage observed included several corrugated roof sheets being blown off and informal homes being blown over.

“The damage included an informal home blown over as well as a report by a community member of a securely installed and partially full Jojo water tank being lifted and blown some distance away,” SAWS said.

“The South African Weather Service analysed the weather conditions and conducted a field investigation on the day of the event, where it was determined that the wind phenomenon that hit the Cape Farms was a landspout,” SAWS said.

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Landspout vs tornado

SAWS said similar to a tornado, a landspout also rotates and is usually fast-moving and can be damaging.

“Landspouts form from the ground up, whilst tornado vortices originate at the base of the parent cloud.

“Based on the extent of the damage caused by the landspout, it was determined that it corresponded with EF-1 damage, utilising the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale.

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