SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WITH TORNADO – 26th October 2010

A brief tornado (T2 on the TORRO scale) early in the morning (at around 6.30am) uprooted trees, pulled down boundary walls and caused havoc in the Tas-Silg area in Marsaxlokk during a severe thunderstorm as a cold front passed over the central Mediterranean.

Wind shear was present (see modest “loaded-gun” sounding) and so was a strong jet stream overhead. The tornado moved in a roughly easterly direction for a bit over 2km over fields until it reached the coast (see approximate path of tornado in red on map). No one was hurt. Severe wind gusts warning was issued.

PHOTOS TAKEN BY ROBERT AGIUS