Florida, United States
On the radar, a mysterious blue bob was detected in the centre of Hurricane Helene which left more than 1.4 million X viewers baffled.
Explaining this mysterious bob, Colin McCarthy on X revealed that the anomaly was actually a flock of birds that got "stuck in the eye of Hurricane Helene" over Tallahassee, Florida.
See this blue blob on radar.
These are birds stuck in the eye of Hurricane Helene! pic.twitter.com/traq2BQqWD
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) September 27, 2024
X users wonder if birds can be detected on a radar
However, many netizens found it difficult to believe that birds can actually be detected on radar. "That is not what that is," commented one user.
"That's wild! It's incredible how nature works. I hope they find their way to safety," wrote another X user.
Also Read: Over 60 dead in Hurricane Helene's wake; massive power outages reported across 5 US states
Explaining this possibility to 9NEWS, meteorologist Rob Carlmark said, "Birds can show up on radar. In fact, when birds roost at night then fly out in the morning, it’s common to see them show up."
Meanwhile, another meteorologist Ben Dery further elaborated that radars can pick a lot of things including bugs, temperature changes, density changes and birds.
During hurricanes in Florida, birds generally get stuck in the middle of it and it can become very dangerous for them.
"Many other birds, however, will become trapped in the storm. Radar images often show birds in the eye of hurricanes, unable to escape through the eyewall," explained Audubon Florida, a conservation organisation.
Watch: Hurricane Helene Aftermath: Death Toll Up 56
Hurricane Helene has turned into a tropical storm and caused the death of more than 60 people across five states since it was first seen off a Mexican coast on Wednesday (September 25).
The storm has been hovering across Tennessee and Kentucky.
However, it has also been slamming the areas of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia are also being slammed by the storm, as per the National Hurricane Centre.
(With inputs from agencies)