A tumbleweed is a bunch of many species of plants that once mature, and dry detaches from its root or stem and rolls due to the winds' force. In most species, tumbleweed is formed after an entire plant is uprooted, but in other plants, it is a hollow fruit or inflorescence might detach instead.

Tumbleweed species mostly occur in steppe and arid ecosystems, where the wind is frequent and open environment allows them to roll without prohibitive obstruction.

Sometimes, these tumbleweeds can block roads and cover buildings and vehicles because the wind blew them to these areas. They can get entangled to electromechanical equipment or cause problems to wastewater treatment plants. But with powerful winds, a tumbleweed tornado can be created just like the one in Hanford, Washington.

Tumbleweed-nado in Washington State

Scott Sistek of KOMO News reported Matt McKnight's experience of the tumbleweed-nado. He clarified fist on his report that the term "tumbleweed-nado" does not exist. He made it up to shorten the description "dust devil that caught up a bunch of tumbleweeds" as it is too long for a headline.

While heading along SR-240 north of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, Seattle-based visual journalist, Matt McKnight's van was slammed by a dust devil carrying tumbleweed. He was on an assignment on Thursday in Eastern Washington when this happened.

McKnight told the Tri-City Herald that moments after driving near Hanford Nuclear reservation, he saw a bunch grouped when he slowed down a bit and looked about a hundred yards down the road and saw a tumbleweed devil forming quickly, so he pulled over to be safe.

McKnight said that his 1985 VW Vanagon, named Bessie is fine aside from the minor scratches and a whole lot of tumbleweeds that he needs to clear from the undercarriage.

"The most nerve-wracking part was driving out of the pile that had to surround me," said McKnight.

The tumbleweed tornado is not officially a tornado, but just an intense swirl of air caused when a column of large relatively hot air rising rapidly and then when the air pushes in to replace it can bring a rotation. It really can bring quite the prickly mess.

Other cases on tumbleweed tornado

The tumbleweed tornado that happened in Washington is not the first of its kind. In 2016, Albuquerque also reported a tumbleweed tornado in areas of Unser and Rainbow. A viewer sent the video to news agencies showing a mob of tumbleweeds blowing in the air.

In 2018, heavy winds sent thousands of tumbleweeds into Victorville, California. Some residents even called it an invasion with the prickly intruders blanketing yards and piling up outside homes. The place is a high desert community routinely frequented by the weeds. However, a 60kph winds unleashed an unusually large swarm of tumbleweeds.

The San Bernardino County fire department and Burrtec Waste Industries helped crews from Victorville's public works, code enforcement and community services division to eradicate the tumbleweeds to allow residents safe access to their homes.