Straight Line Winds or Tornado? - ToledoNewsNow.com: News, Weather & Sports for Toledo, OH

What is the difference between straight line winds and a tornado?

In one way these are similar both contain very strong winds associated with thunderstorms.     There are several differences though between the two.

A tornado is a rotating column of air that extends from the base of the thunderstorm.  They are usually a funnel shape with the narrow part near the ground. 

Straight line winds are very strong winds that produce damage that shows a lack of a rotational damage pattern.  Straight line winds are common with the gust front of a thunderstorm or originate with a downburst from a thunderstorm.