A tornado not touching the ground is still an actual tornado and preempts a warning. The majority never touch ground but sometimes dip as far down as the treetops to cause damage. My post was directed to lbaker who was confused about why it wasn't on the news, and my point was not every tornado is something like what is seen in tornado movies or stormchaser clips .

I studied weather a lot as part of my ecology major program in college and have always been fascinated by all of it, especially having grown up in an area with constant tornadoes. One bad one in particular I remember happened on Christmas. Mom and I were volunteers for the red cross tornado cleanup crew too, we helped a lot of people clean up damaged trees and houses. I've never had one actually hit my house, but the last place I lived (in Battlefiend, MO), was ripped to pieces by a bad tornado a couple years after I moved to MN, and I've witnessed them and their damage. My father, sister, and friend live in Florida (and I was born there myself!), and I know there are frequent tornadoes, especially with hurricanes. The difference is they tend to dip down and back up much more there, not staying on the ground and traveling for miles like they so often do in the midwestern states. Of course that does not mean they don't cause havoc, and actually makes them more unpredictable. I know how frightening they can be, and I'm glad your friend is ok.