Explaining 'leaf tornadoes' and how they form

FOX 2 - Ah fall. The leaves are falling, the wind is blowing, and suddenly you see those leaves swirl in the wind.

Many people call these leaf tornadoes but there is a real term for them. They're called wind eddies.

You can see them in parking lots, in the street, or in the alleys. 

Here's how they form.

As the wind moves around, it hits walls, buildings, cars, or even curbs on the street.

After it hits these objects, the air is redirected and then swirls around.

Think about standing in a stream and you throw a big rock in, big enough to divert the water. The stream will then pass around the rock and swirl behind it. 

It's the same process with wind. It's a cool phenomenon, and now you know how and why this happens.