[CanisLupusArctos]

Gravy Boat,

I say it was a funnel cloud... BUT, only because of everyone's pics and descriptions here, and also a description of clear rotation from a known-sane friend of mine who saw the funnel from the Wolfeborough/Alton town line as she drove south on 28.

My eyes saw what Hilltopper's eyes saw. I really wanted to report it, but I kept biting my lip and praying to see rotation so I could report it, but alas, no rotation. What I DID see was this: Nearly calm wind as it approached, then a VERY sudden blast (44 mph) from the north as the funnel passed directly south... in other words the wind was blowing toward the funnel. This action continued as the funnel passed southeast, and the wind blew from the northwest. One could easily argue that the feature was drawing air towards it, even if clear rotation was not visible.

Prior to the storm's arrival I was watching this storm on two self-updating radar screens, each with a different variation in view, and I believe I saw rotation in the cell that was headed for us. It caused me to make preparations for my own safety that I don't normally take. Therefore I was not totally surprised to see the funnel, although totally amazed.

What surprised me was the lack of even a severe thunderstorm warning for Belknap County--the severe thunderstorm warning didn't come until after I'd seen the funnel pass, and it should have been a tornado warning in my opinion. The tornado warning didn't come until the storm had cleared the lake and was bearing down on Dover. In the end, we saw a lot more funnel action here, while in Dover Foster's said there were no funnel reports at all.

I have a friend in Madbury (next town over from Dover) who collected some lemon-size hailstones and put them in his freezer.

Here are my two photos of the funnel, followed by my guess as to the wind flow that created the cloud formation posted by Squam Friend. If what we all saw was definitely a funnel cloud, then it appears Squam Friend saw the wall cloud--the low-hanging, collar-like precursor. I drew an arrow on his picture to show the action forming it. My arrow appears to be clockwise but if we were to look at the same scene from above it would be counter-clockwise.

It is only July and already we have two "tornado" storms for the summer. Late summer is the typical peak of New England's severe weather season, as the colder air of the approaching season starts to push out the warm humid air of the current season.