Whirlwinds

Whirlwinds is also known as WhirlyMod.

The weather has been pretty dry around the deserts, savannas and plains of Minecraft, and with cold fronts moving in, all kinds of strange weather can take place! ...Well, one kind of strange weather can take place: Mini Tornadoes!

Whirlwinds, or "whirlies", are a strange phenomenon in Minecraft that can occasionally spawn in deserts, plains, shrublands or savannas. They last for about a minute on average and move very slowly across the world, gracefully drifting over any obstacles they find, until they run out of energy and fade away. Sometimes there are things on the ground that can't be seen, and whirlwinds pick up small items, swirl them around within their bodies, and spit them out in a random direction. A lot of the time, only small bits of junk are found like sticks or gravel, but it's also possible to find valuable items such as coal, metal, or even... diamonds!

If you hang around a whirlwind, there's a good chance you'll find some kind of great treasure before it poofs away. But you have to be careful, because if you come close enough to touch it, you'll be swept off of your feet and thrown out in a random direction! You'll take a rough tumble, but usually only a few hearts. Of course, it's possible to take advantage of this feature. If you jump into a whirly at the right angle, you can control where it will spit you out. making for an effective boost. You can also lure hostile mobs into the jaws of the whirlwind and watch as they tumble helplessly in the harsh winds.

Just be very careful... whirlwinds are known to be very unpredictable and anything could happen when you approach one. But if you play it safe, you'll be fine.