Hundreds take to social media to humour yesterday’s Victorian tornado warnings

THIS photo sparked an urgent warning for tornadoes during severe thunderstorms in Melbourne. But the weather bureau now reveals what it really was.

Have you heard of a ‘gustnado’?

IT was this photo that sparked an urgent warning for tornadoes during yesterday’s severe thunderstorm in Melbourne, but was there one?

Residents and social media users were sent into a frenzy when the weather bureau sent out a top-priority storm warning for destructive winds, heavy rainfall, large hailstones and tornadoes for the Melbourne metropolitan area yesterday.

The weather bureau has confirmed to News Corp Australia that the picture, taken north of Melbourne’s Tullamarine Aiport, actually shows the formation of a rarely seen “gustnado”.

A gustnado is a short-lived, ground-based swirling wind that can form on the leading edge of a severe thunderstorm. Although it almost looks like a tornado, it is not considered to be one.

*** TULLAMARINE TORNADO ***#tornado #vicweather #weather #storms #melbourneCheck out these pics of this confirmed...

Posted by Victorian Storm Chasers on Wednesday, November 4, 2015

The warnings were issued after a number of residents and storm spotters reported funnel-shaped columns creeping down from the supercell storms above.

There’s been widespread speculation about whether or not there was a twister or just one in its early stages.

A tornado is only declared once the funnel cloud actually touches the ground.

Live #stormpics from VCS's very own Sez and Rose who are currently chasing the cell that produced the #tornado in Tullamarine, #Melbourne earlier today.

Posted by Victorian Storm Chasers on Wednesday, November 4, 2015

The wild weather was caused by a complex low pressure system that swept from Western Australia all the way to the east coast.

Most of the severe weather has cleared for now, apart from in Queensland, where there’s still the chance of supercell storms forming over the next few days.

Here’s how some social media users felt about the spring tornado threat.

#MelbourneTornado, the clean up begins pic.twitter.com/I34Gh3Bz1V

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) November 5, 2015

Shocking pictures coming out of the #Melbourne CBD in the wake of the #Tornado. Stay safe everyone. pic.twitter.com/zpa6i2TMEK

— David Packer (@mrdavidpacker) November 5, 2015

BREAKING - MELBOURNE THREATENED BY #TORNADO, THOUSANDS OF ABSOLUTELY HIDEOUS BUILDINGS AT RISK pic.twitter.com/QXTvjMhFog

— John Johnsonson (@JohnJohnsonson) November 5, 2015

#Tornado strikes #Melbourne, leaves hipsters devastated pic.twitter.com/fH10OGL8Mh

— ex Just Darwin (@ExSydney) November 5, 2015

Melbourne tornado warning cancelled. Image via @fortaltaco: pic.twitter.com/3daao39TGN

— Emily van der Nagel (@anurbanheart) November 5, 2015

Amazing vision coming in from Melbourne’s Federation Square #MelbourneTornado pic.twitter.com/xYFyyap6dO

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) November 5, 2015

RT@Pennycopter: "Pictures emerge of #Melbourne #tornado pic.twitter.com/oz0AYhnStf"

— Olga (@SoCreativeAU) November 5, 2015