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Possible Culprit in Stage Disaster: 'Gustnado'

Swirling wind ahead of thunderstorm might be to blame

By John Johnson, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 16, 2011 7:11 PM CDT

(Newser) – As Indiana officials investigate safety protocol in the wake of the state fair stage disaster that killed five, meteorologists are debating whether an obscure phenomenon known as a "gustnado" is to blame. A gustnado is a "brief wind that swirls on the leading edge of a severe thunderstorm," explains a video on AccuWeather.com. It's like a weaker "stepbrother of a tornado," forming and behaving in different ways.

An AccuWeather meteorologist analyzing video of the stage collapse says a gustnado is the culprit. "If you analyze the video, you can see that gustnado kind of coming across and moving through and everything's twirling around as it goes through," Henry Margusity tells Reuters. "I've never heard of fatalities due to a gustnado," he adds. "It happened to hit the wrong spot at the wrong time." A government meteorologist disagrees, however, and says "straight-line winds" brought down the stage. Click for more explainers on the subject.

The stage collapses at the Indiana State Fair last weekend in Indianapolis. (Getty Images)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 8 comments

Jingo

Aug 18, 2011 12:12 PM CDT

I wonder if it could have been shoddy construction?

JuniorHightowerII

Aug 16, 2011 11:50 PM CDT

Ever hear of a festival named Coachella, located in the third windiest valley in the world :Coachella Valley: ever seen the wind farm, it works, there has been sustained winds of 60- 70 MPH wind for days at this festival and dont have the problems close to this, when you have amateurs you will get amateurish results its a shame people had to die.

Count-Spatula

Aug 16, 2011 8:41 PM CDT

A gust-nado. Right. Do Americans and media-morons ever get tired of this stupid shit?

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Possible Culprit in Stage Disaster: 'Gustnado'

Swirling wind ahead of thunderstorm might be to blame

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

tornado • high winds • Indiana State Fair • gustnado

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