What is known as a tropical funnel was seen in Baton Rouge on Thursday afternoon. This feature was associated with a thunderstorm that moved over the Capital City around 2:30pm.

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Tropical funnels form in a humid and windy environment. These funnels rarely touch the ground and often dissipate within minutes.

Tropical funnels should not be confused with funnel clouds and tornadoes that form from supercell thunderstorms. Tropical funnels (and cold air funnels) can look scary, but rarely ever cause damage or harm.

The National Weather Service provides an in depth look at these phenomenon which are still not well understood compared to most meteorological wonders. Any time you see weather happening, send a picture to weather@wbrz.com or tweet @WBRZweather. You can also submit directly to us through the free WBRZ WX App on your Apple or Android device.