VIDEOS: Large, Rare Tornado Strikes Greek Island
An eerie sight greeted residents of Rhodes, Greece, early Thursday morning when a tornado formed just off the coast of the island of Rhodes.
An impressive video was captured of this rare event near Rhodes. A large rotating column of air is seen in this video and note the multiple, smaller funnel clouds.
Courtesy of YouTube user Rodiaki Pliroforiki Ltd.
Fortunately, only minimal damage was reported, according to Severe Weather Europe and, judging by the video, the worst of the weather remained off shore.
A potent cold front slicing eastward spawned severe thunderstorms Thursday that impacted islands in the Aegean sea as well as parts of western Turkey.
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The island of Rhodes, located in the southern Aegean Sea, does experience thunderstorms from time to time, but tornadoes are not all that common.
YouTube user sandblast basshead captured this video of wind-whipped rain and structural damage.
Rainfall amounts between 30 and 50 mm were common near Rhodes as the storms swept through.
While the tornadoes are not uncommon in Europe, the United States is home to more frequent twisters. A lack of a cold, dry air source limits the intensity and frequency of tornadoes in much of Europe.
Stormy weather was also found farther north in Europe. A storm system moving across Germany brought damaging winds to some locations in the northern part of the country. Numerous observing stations reported wind gusts to 64 km/hour (40 mph).
Reports of downed trees suggest that some locations were hit by even stronger gusts.
Quiet weather is expected for Greece and surrounding areas through the weekend and into next week due to a large dome of high pressure. Elsewhere in Europe, bouts of showers will keep the United Kingdom and the rest of the western Europe unsettled.
Thumbnail image a screenshot from the YouTube video taken by user Rodiaki Pliroforiki Ltd.
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