THE Met Office has said it believes a video capturing what one Powys resident described as a “tornado” on a Powys could have been a “dust devil”.
Fire engines were reported responding to a fire in the Rhayader area on Sunday afternoon, August 23, with reports locally suggesting a wildfire that raged for several days earlier this month on Gwastedyn Hill, outside Rhayader, had reignited.
People living locally posted pictures of smoke on the hill on the Rhayader Solutions Facebook page.
One, Jamie Morris, a firefighter at Llandrindod Wells, posted a video, capturing a wisp of smoke swirling around Gwastedyn, as patches of fire and smoke broke out.
The Met Office said dust devils can accumulate following surfaces being heated strongly, and that these could make it look like a “mini tornado”.
“While we can't confirm exactly what was captured in the video without reviewing it, from your description it may have been a 'dust devil',” said the Met Office.
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“Dust devils are small rotating columns of air that form when strong surface heating causes warm air to rise rapidly.
“As the rising air begins to rotate, it can pick up dust, ash or other loose material from the ground, making what looks like a 'mini-tornado' visible. They are typically short-lived and much smaller and weaker than tornadoes.
“They mainly occur in desert and semi-arid areas, where the ground is dry and high surface temperatures produce strong updrafts.
“The dry conditions in the area (Rhayader) may have helped create the conditions needed for this type of phenomenon to develop, though we would not be able to confirm the exact cause in this specific case without further detail.
“You can find out more information about them here.”
Gwastedyn, overlooking Rhayader, was the epicentre of a major wildfire outbreak on Wednesday, August 12.
“At 1.45pm on Sunday, August 23, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MWWFRS) crew from Rhayader Fire Station was mobilised to an incident at Gwastedyn in Rhayader,” said a fire service spokesperson.
“The crew responded to multiple hot spots from a previous wildfire. Wildfire beaters and knapsacks were utilised to extinguish the hot spots. The crew left the scene at 2.59pm.
“Smoke may continue to be visible in the area until significant rainfall occurs. There is no risk of further fire spread, as the remaining hot spots are confined to already burnt ground.”
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