Tornado update

In May 2009 I blogged the photo above; the attendant discussion and comments centered around whether this was a true "tornado" or just a "dust devil."

In June there was a discussion thread at Reddit covering the same question, but with the added benefit of a link to a video about Jim Reed, the photographer who took the picture. The video is worth watching; the most memorable moment is at the very end when, after being chased by the tornado, the dude parks his car, takes his camera, and runs TOWARD the tornado.

And, for completeness, here is the Wiki explanation of landspouts.

Update October 2009: The photographer, Jim Reed, has now published "Storm Chaser" about his experiences. The Telegraph (U.K.) has a gallery of 15 photos from the book.