History Main / DoNotTouchTheFunnelCloud

* In ''Film/X2XMenUnited'', ComicBook/{{Storm}} calls down several tornadoes to get rid of some pesky jetfighters trailing the Blackbird. The scene is very cool to watch, until you realize that there's no way the Blackbird itself could have gotten away and [[InferredHolocaust Storm probably laid waste to the New York countryside in the process]].

* At the end of ''WesternAnimation/RockADoodle'', the evil Duke of Owls actually turns into one of these as part of his OneWingedAngel act as a last-minute attempt to kill all the animals living on Chanticleer's farm since none of them drowned in the flood the Duke sent to destroy the farm.

* Creator/RonWhite talked once of a Floridian man who tried to tie himself to a tree on a beach to prove he was in good enough condition at 53 years old to withstand the wind and rain from an EF-3 hurricane. Ron had to explain this trope to him.

Though this trope runs on some heavy use of ArtisticLicense, it's a [[TruthInTelevision well-documented]] fact that tornadoes can be... capricious in their damage, destroying one house but leaving the one next door completely untouched, due to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_vortex multiple vortices]] inside the tornado area. Still, would you bet your life and safety on winning that meteorological lottery? Didn't think so...

Though this trope runs on some heavy use of ArtisticLicense, it's [[TruthInTelevision well-documented]] that tornadoes can be... capricious in their damage, destroying one house but leaving the one next door completely untouched, due to [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_vortex multiple vortices]] inside the tornado area. Still, would you bet your life and safety on winning that meteorological lottery? Didn't think so...

* ''VideoGame/{{Bug}}'' had dust storm hazards in [[ShiftingSandLand Reptilia]] that resembled mini-tornadoes. They wouldn't suck Bug in, and would only damage him if he touched them.

* ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'': Zigzagged In ''Donkey Kong Land'', there are miniature tornadoes called Swirlwinds that appear in the Temple stages. They are invincible but Donkey and Diddy Kong can bounce on top of them harmlessly. However, touching the Swirlwinds from the ''sides'' [[CollisionDamage damages them]] instead.

* ''Webcomic/{{xkcd}}'' [[RuleOfFun has some fun]] with [[http://xkcd.com/640/ this]]

* Played more or less straight in one of the ''Anime/MazingerZ'' series. One of the weapons of ''Anime/{{Mazinkaiser}}'' is Rust Tornado. The HumongousMecha blews ''three'' tornadoes from its grill mouth. Of course, anything it touches gets obliterated, and the wind gales kick big dirt clouds and leave a trail of destruction in its wake (in the movie it dug a wiiiiide trench across Mount Fuji). Though the area surrounding the attack does not seem so affected how it should. This is actually justified as the wind also unleashes acid that corrodes anything the wind touches. Mazinger Z and ''Anime/GreatMazinger'''s Rust Hurricane and Great Typhoon aren't as powerful as Rust Tornado, so they can't do the massive damage Kaiser can.

* In ''La Blue Girl'', Miko [[MundaneMadeAwesome can create one with her own hair]]. This being a {{hentai}}, it usually results in ClothingDamage (unless of course she was already naked when using it.) She normally uses it as a finishing move against whatever enemy she's up against.

* Played straight in ''Manga/{{Bleach}}''. During the Hueco Mundo arc, after witnessing a tornado spawn literally right in front of them, Chad, Uryu, and Ichigo try to [[OutRunTheFireball run away from the tornado.]] Made worse by the fact that Chad notices the wind picking up even before the tornado spawns.

* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'': Ghidorah's hurricane, even after it evolves into a ''Category 6'' and ''produces offshoot tornadoes and water-spouts'', is on its own pretty much harmless to humans on the ground, just hitting them with a lot of rain and only a small wind which batters their hair and clothes, and making some atmospheric fog. Even a Category 1 hurricane should threaten to blow people off their feet and tear buildings apart and send debris flying through the air. Worse, even flying ''inside the cloud'' is relatively harmless, to the point that thousands of aircraft can safely fly right under the hurricane with minimal turbulence, and even the crazy-high amounts of lightning in the clouds barely ever strike them.

* And then there's the made-for-TV movie ''Film/NightOfTheTwisters'', which has the heroes outrunning a tornado's funnel cloud that is literally ''right on their bumper'' during the finale. Especially weird in that an earlier scene has a tornado tear a wall off the protagonist's house while the funnel cloud was hundreds of yards away. That last one must have just been in a really good mood.

* In ''Film/X2XMenUnited'', ComicBook/{{Storm}} calls down several tornadoes to get rid of some pesky jetfighters trailing the Blackbird. The scene is very cool to watch, until you realize that there's no way the Blackbird itself could have gotten away and [[InferredHolocaust Storm probably laid waste to the entire New York countryside in the process]].
** This ''is'' Storm, though. [[AWizardDidIt She has everything under control]].
** Not to mention that these funnel clouds were in the upper atmosphere, and did not necessarily have to extend all the way to ground level.

* ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'', pretty much exactly as above under film. Only without the AllJustADream justification.

* Inverted completely in ''Series/{{Roseanne}}'' in the tornado episode. Their area gets put under a tornado ''watch'' and they basically do everything short of writing their wills (though little in the way of actual useful preparations) they are so sure the tornado is going to encounter their specific house. The GallowsHumor they trade after receiving the watch wouldn't be out of place in ''Film/DrStrangelove''. For those of don't live in a tornado prone area, tornado watches just mean that conditions are right, it doesn't mean a tornado will necessarily form, much less that it will even be near your town.

* In later stages of the ''VideoGame/KatamariDamacy'' games, there are tornadoes that, much like the vicious animals of early stages, will blast you away if your Katamari collides with the funnel. Never mind, of course, that you can pick up said tornadoes once you're big enough, as well as rainbows etc. Extremely little scrutiny reveals that we're never meant to take this seriously.

** Jumping [[FunnelCloudJourney into a tornado]] in ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'', perhaps ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'' and ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'' is encouraged. Not to mention the surrounding platforms are completely unharmed except for occasional flying debris. Possibly lampshaded in the latter; Knuckles shouts for help when sucked up, despite it being the only possible way forward for himself and Shadow.

** Auron in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' can generate tornadoes in a special attack. Naturally, all enemies regardless of size are sucked up and party members aren't. Said tornado can also be [[IncendiaryExponent set on]] [[KillItWithFire fire]] by throwing alcohol into it. The other two party members ''run away'' before it comes out, at least (and they only otherwise do so to make room for an aeon). Still doesn't explain why Auron himself is unaffected, of course.

* ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' uses this with a couple bosses which summon tornadoes. Even more egregious, some {{N|onPlayerCharacter}}PCs can use tornadoes to imprison you, causing ''no damage whatsoever''. So can Druid players. Of course, [[AWizardDidIt it's all caused by magic]]. Shamans also get a swirly-whirlwind-twister-thing every time their Windfury Weapon spell activates, though it appears for less than three seconds.

* Shamal's Square attack in ''VideoGame/MagicalGirlLyricalNanohaAsPortable: The Battle of Aces'' produces small tornadoes that slowly track the enemy. Naturally, they only deal damage to you when you touch them. Everyone involved has [[DeflectorShields Barrier Jackets]] capable of standing up to kiloton-range energy blasts, albeit with heavy damage, as well as flight capability, so this is a JustifiedTrope for once.

* The early gameplay teaser for ''VideoGame/JustCause4'' features Rico trailing a tornado as it bears down on an enemy installation, with only the comparably small funnel cloud doing any damage to anything, including aircraft. Heck, Rico is even able to freely glide about with no difficulty. In the released game, we quickly discover that these tornadoes are artificially generated by a WeatherControlMachine, so [[AWizardDidIt they don't necessarily need to behave like the natural sort]].

** Likewise Cloud's [[OneHitKill Finishing Touch]] LimitBreak in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', wherein he generates a tornado around ''himself'' and then somehow flings it towards the enemy with his sword. [[TheCameo Also present]] in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics''.

* In one episode of ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'', people and Pokemon can be seen narrowly dodging small funnel clouds - the result of the attack Whirlwind - without coming to any harm. On the other hand, Pokémon do get sucked into whirlpools.

* ''Film/FireTwister'': Although it's clearly a severe kind of tornado (or firenado, more specifically), since it left a lot of destruction in Los Angeles, the fire twister doesn't cause much effect beyond the range of things near its funnel part, aside from its attraction to heat.

Tornadoes. One of the most beautiful, deadly and terrifying manifestations of nature's fury. They can strike anywhere at any time, claiming hundreds of lives each year and causing billions in widespread property damage.

* Averted in ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf''. The basic form of the Heaven's Dragon Blast (or Hiryuu Shouten Ha) [[FinishingMove ultimate technique]] creates a tornado with, depending on the methods and circumstances, varying degrees of intensity. Even the weakest form creates very strong winds in the vicinity, which have visible effects on objects (and people) fairly separate from the funnel. Note that the revised versions of the technique behave on wildly different principles and don't necessarily apply.
** But not averted in the videogames, where characters can stand directly next to the funnel (or even block it for [[ScratchDamage Chipping Damage]]) to no ill effect.

* Averted in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'': When Yusuke narrowly dodges a direct hit from Jin's Tornado Fist technique, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin which creates a small tornado around the user's fists]], he ends up blown away by the invisible wind surrounding the visible tornado. One character even comments on this in the anime version.

* Averted in the ''Anime/YuGiOhCapsuleMonsters'' movie. The winds kick up debris and sand some distance from the visible funnel during the First Trial.

* Averted in ''Superman'' #376, where Franchise/{{Superman}} and Comicbook/{{Supergirl}} toil to dispel several tornadoes trashing Kansas. Although both cousins are capable to dive into the funnel and come out unaffected, the winds spawned by the tornado blow rocks, trees and even houses away.

[[folder:Fan Works]]
* Averted in ''Fanfic/CalvinAndHobbesTheSeries'' -- the two two-part episodes that feature tornadoes ("The Black Turning Funnel" and "The Falling Sky") display them relatively realistically.
[[/folder]]

* ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'' has a [[RecycledInSPACE twister made out of spaghetti and meatballs]] averting this trope, as while the spaghetti twister doesn't do much damage, the meatballs are like a [[{{Pun}} meateor shower,]] devastating the island.

* Averted in the film ''Film/PlacesInTheHeart'', where no funnel cloud is ever seen, and the damage to the town is catastrophic.
* And there's also ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'', where the twister picks up Dorothy's entire house but doesn't shred it to pieces or kill her. But at the end we find out that that part of the movie was AllJustADream, where the actual rules of real-world physics don't necessarily apply. It also averts this trope in a way: with the visible (windsock) funnel still a ways away, the wind is blowing loud and hard, and a screen door sails away as Dorothy opens it to run inside the house (she's unable to get inside the storm cellar).
** ''Film/OzTheGreatAndPowerful'' zigzags this one. On the one hand, Oscar's balloon-basket gets pierced by fence posts and other flung debris; on the other, its ''bag'' stays intact enough to make it to Oz.

* Averted in ''Film/StormCell''. Appropriate, since it's about a meteorologist who specializes in tornado work.

* Averted in the ''Literature/LittleHouseOnThePrairie'' books. Laura was describing the effects of real tornadoes in the area around De Smet. Including the weirdness of a guy who ''survived'' being picked up -- and put down -- by a tornado. Though he was stripped of every stitch of clothing.

* Averted in ''Series/{{Bones}}'' episode "The Twist in the Twister," which features the characters being pelted with small and ''very'' large debris ''while the funnel cloud is still in the background.''

* Averted in ''Series/DesperateHousewives'' (season 4 episode 10), where the cyclone is shown as being quite dangerous even at a distance. However, Lynette and Mrs. [=McCluskey=] are still able to stand outside in the storm without being blown away as they watch the funnel cloud bear down on them.

* Averted in ''Series/StormChasers'', a Creator/DiscoveryChannel documentary series that follows teams of storm chasers as they pursue tornadoes across the countryside, the potential lethality of the storms being constantly reiterated. It is even highlighted when in one episode [[CoolCar a purpose-built armored vehicle designed to drive into a tornado and survive]] has one of its windows blown out when a tornado suddenly intensifies on top of them, the driver and one of the passengers suffering cuts to their faces from flying glass. The fourth season starts off showing the effects of the [=EF4=] tornado that struck Yazoo City, Mississippi in April 2010, one man being shown with a bloodied head and another man is found on the ground unconscious. In the fifth season, multiple tornadoes strike major cities throughout the Midwest and Southeast. SceneryGorn out the wazoo.

* Averted in the MatchSequence for ''Pinball/TheWizardOfOz'' -- even though the tornado's in the distance, it still manages to throw debris around and into the screen.

* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'':
** Averted with natural tornadoes, which suck everything towards them in a very large radius.
** Djinni and air elementals, on the other hands, can turn into smaller whirlwinds that will only damage creatures that touch or enter it, or are in the whirlwind's path. Although it can create a cloud of dust over a larger area than itself.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange''. The tornado at the end of the game is clearly seen causing catastrophic damage to Arcadia Bay long before the funnel cloud even comes onshore.
* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
** Also barely averted in the Water dungeons of ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', in which Link can still be sucked into vortices even if he keeps a distance, particularly if he is swimming rather than walking underwater (this could have been justified/hand waved by the anchoring weight of the iron boots in ''Ocarina of Time'', and by Zora Magic in ''Majora's Mask''). The radius of the vortices, however, is still not as broad as in real life.
** Interestingly enough, this is at least mildly averted in a particular side quest in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', where you meet Cyclos, the god of cyclones, and, even if you try to stop your boat, it continues to move closer to the cyclone the god creates, not to mention, your arrows which you are using to get him to notice you, are being thrown absolutely everywhere.

** Averted in ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'': Part of the Crisis City stage involves Sonic running away from a whirlwind--while he's a remarkably short distance away from it unaffected by the wind, he has his hands (actually feet) full dodging all the flying shrapnel around it.

* Averted with the Tornado spell in ''VideoGame/{{Sacrifice}}''. Units in the target area go flying before the funnel cloud is even fully formed.

* Averted in ''VideoGame/GiantsCitizenKabuto'', the caster (Delphi) is immune to the effects of the tornado, but enemies and even the local wild life are sucked in from a distance. Close buildings are also destroyed.

* A partial, vague aversion occurs with the [[BlowYouAway Storm Summoning]] powerset in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes''. While the Tornado effect doesn't really affect enemies unless it comes in content with the funnel, it will throw around debris that is nearby. Additionally, the Hurricane ability actually has an area of effect that is some small distance beyond its visible vortex graphic. As for why the various funnels or vortices [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality fail to be even more destructive]] for their compact size, [[AWizardDidIt it's simply accepted that your character is just that talented]].

* Averted in the ''VideoGame/{{Kessen}}'' series; then again, part of the appeal of spells in the series is watching all the little dudes get tossed around. However, damage-wise it does play it straight, as men that are tossed around at the edges have a moderate chance of survival, albeit shaken and morale-broken. The Dragon and Fissure spells follow the same pathing and are much more lethal.