Fig (1)

Twister Returns

A waterspout swirls over Alexandria, Egypt.

Photo by Aymen Ibrahem, Senior Astronomy Specialist

 

On Friday, 5 January 2007, a powerful rainstorm was raging in Alexandria, Egypt. The storm lasted three days. Challenging onshore gales, and heavy showers, Mr. Aymen Ibrahem, PSC, Senior Astronomy Specialist, observed the stages of the storm, and recorded a waterspout, a weaker form of tornado.

 

Waterspouts occur over water. Some of them may attain the strength of tornadoes. The waterspout occurred at about 10:45 EET (8:45 GMT). This is the second record of a twister in Alexandria within about a month. The first was recorded by Aymen Ibrahem, on 4 December 2006.

Fig (2)

Waterspout Close-up

Photo by Aymen Ibrahem, Senior Astronomy Specialist

 

"At about 10:30 EET, huge cumulonimbus clouds were churning, and drifting southwards", said Mr. Ibrahem. "I observed a funnel cloud amid the celestial icebergs. It was swirling, and growing in size. It was my second twister experience".

 

Ibrahem said the event lasted about 3 minutes, probably due to the low air temperature.

 

"The twister of 4 December 2006 lasted about 10 minutes, and grew to a much larger size", explained Ibrahem. "On that day, the winds were much less powerful, but the temperature was considerably warmer."

 

"I expected that this warm, rainy winter would witness more twisters."

 

Following up his second twister observation, Ibrahem imaged a spectacular rainbow, at about 14:30 EET.

 

Fig (3)

Rainbow over Miami

Photo by Aymen Ibrahem, Senior Astronomy Specialist

 

 

Fig (4)

Rainbow Close-up

Photo by Aymen Ibrahem, Senior Astronomy Specialist

 

The rainbow lasted about 20 minutes. This is the first rainbow to be observed in Alexandria this year. The day next, Ibrahem photographed a fainter rainbow, from the Plaza of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA). On the third day of the storm, heavy showers continued in the morning. Ibrahem also made interesting observation of animal behavior after the storm.

 

Further reading

A Close Encounter with a Tornado

http://www.bibalex.org/Eclipse2006/News_Details.aspx?id=171

Alexandria under Fire

http://www.bibalex.org/Eclipse2006/News_Details.aspx?id=174

 

 

Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem

Senior Astronomy Specialist