This is the dramatic moment a dust devil tornado tore through a car park in China.

The twister picked up clouds of dirt as it stretched around 100ft into the sky outside a supermarket in Shuozhou, China, on April 16.

Baffled onlookers could be heard asking what the rare weather phenomenon was while it unfolded before them.

Witness Mr Guo described the tornado as thin and tall, with surprisingly strong suction power and creating strong winds nearby.

He added that although it was easily more than 100ft high, it was still only around 4ft wide.

Mr Guosaid that the tornado lasted for about two minutes and no one was injured.


Dust devil tornadoes are types of whirlwinds that form when the sun heats a patch of land and the air above becomes warmer and rises quickly.

Cooler air then moves into the low-pressure gap left by the rising warm air. The new drafts of cooler air also heat up and rise and the cycle continues, picking up dust and debris and making the spiral visible.

They are not as dangerous as supercell tornadoes, which can cause severe damage.