A rare sight: Twin tornadoes form in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
After severe thunderstorms and flooding that hit southern Germany last week, a rare weather phenomenon for Germany was observed and recorded in the country's north.
On June 5, 2016, residents of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, witnessed and recorded twin tornadoes joining into one big twister. One of the recordings that appeared online yesterday was taken just 300 m away. States fire department said there were no casualties or major damage.
The following video was recorded by Daniel Thomsen in the town of Schuby, a few kilometers west from Schleswig, shortly before the twisters connected:
Although tornadoes in Germany are far less frequent when compared to the US, they can be just as powerful. Dozens are reported in the country each year.
In July 1993, a large tornado formed near Großenaspe and Neumünster, Schleswig-Holstein, leaving a 13 km (8 miles) swath. On May 24, 1979, a major tornado outbreak struck parts of eastern Germany with one violent F4 tornado near Brandenburg. This tornado picked up combine harvesters weighing more than 10 tons and threw them several hundred meters. Experts estimate the sustained winds of this tornado were around 400 km/h (250 mph).
High tornado season in Germany runs from May to September.
Featured image: Twin tornadoes in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany on June 5, 2016. Credit: happyskylet
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