Rare Tornado Spotted in Tamil Nadu: Funnel Cloud Touches Ground Near Thoothukudi

A rare weather phenomenon was witnessed in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district on June 21 when a narrow funnel cloud descended from a thunderstorm and briefly touched the ground, forming what meteorologists have identified as a tornado.

Videos shared by weather observers, including Tamil Nadu Weatherman, and verified by meteorologist Navdeep Dahiya showed a slender, twisting funnel extending from a dark thundercloud and making contact with the ground, stirring up dust before dissipating.

Experts said the tornado appeared to be weak, narrow and short-lived, and no major damage has been reported. However, meteorologists noted that even a relatively weak tornado can pose risks and should not be taken lightly.

A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that connects a thundercloud to the ground. It becomes visible when moisture condenses into water droplets inside the funnel, while dust and debris are lifted from the surface.

According to weather experts, tornado formation generally requires warm and moisture-rich air, a strong updraft within a thunderstorm, and a source of atmospheric rotation near the ground. The Bay of Bengal often provides abundant moisture during the monsoon season, creating conditions favourable for severe weather.

Forecasters believe the Thoothukudi event was likely a "landspout" — a weaker form of tornado that develops from rotation near the surface rather than from a large rotating thunderstorm system.

Tornadoes are relatively uncommon in India and are most frequently reported in eastern states such as West Bengal and Odisha during the pre-monsoon months of March to May. Weather records indicate that a majority of India's tornadoes occur in the northeastern region.

Meteorologists say tornadoes in Tamil Nadu are exceptionally rare because the state's monsoon thunderstorms do not usually organise in the same manner as the powerful storm systems associated with tornado outbreaks elsewhere in the world.

The sighting has generated significant interest among weather enthusiasts and experts, who describe it as one of the rare instances of a confirmed tornado being captured on video in southern India.

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