NITRATE CITY, Ala. — Though spotty showers were in the Tennessee Valley forecast throughout Saturday, an unexpected whirlwind caused quite the visual stir in Colbert County.
Jordan Davis, Assistant Fire Chief for the Nitrate City Volunteer Fire Department captured video of a "smokenado" as it developed over the scene of a fire his team was fighting Saturday.
According to FOX54's weather experts, this wasn't a tornado in the literal sense, but rather a whirlwind that spun up as a result of an outflow from a storm system that blew through the area.
The winds tightened up as it circulated over the grassfire, feeding off the heat of the flames, picking up the smoke and spinning it higher into the air, resulting in a tornado-like effect.
Davis said that after the whirlwind passed, his team was able to completely extinguish the grass fire. No injuries were reported.