Vortices of all kinds

[Richblue2]

As long as I'm on the subject, what is the meteorological difference between dust-devils and tornadoes?

Most of the dust-devils I've seen look to be eddies caused by wind currents, and I know out in the west they get much larger (which are the ones I'm curious about).

Now I know tornadoes are caused by interaction of hot and cold air in a storm. Do dust devils have similar interactive struggles or are they just vortices caused by wind currents?

[Coriolis]

Richard -

A dust devil is a rotating updraft. The different suface types will help create a dust devil. Dust devils begin directly on the ground. A tornado is on the other hand is "created" in the clouds, so to speak.

The hot ground causes air directly above to heat up rapidly as well. The air parcel that is heated then rises. The air currents flow into the bottom of the rising column of air and dust, and if things work out it begins to spin. Hopefully a dust devil is then formed. One of Mother Natures wonders.

Jim