IF2 tornado damages 18 structures near Balcarzowice, Poland

An IF2 tornado damaged at least 18 structures, including 11 homes, near the village of Balcarzowice in Opole Voivodeship, Poland, on May 30. Two homes were completely destroyed as the tornado moved through the area.

The tornado formed within a supercell thunderstorm that crossed southern Poland during the afternoon. The storm caused damage to buildings and trees in the Balcarzowice area of Strzelce County.

According to the Polish Fire Service, firefighters responded to 34 weather-related incidents across Opole Voivodeship. Most of the calls involved removing fallen trees and securing damaged roofs.

Damage surveys later confirmed the tornado was an IF2 with estimated wind speeds of 179 to 217 km/h (111 to 135 mph) and was capable of causing significant damage to homes, farm buildings, and trees.

Weather conditions were favorable for severe thunderstorms and tornado development. A weather balloon launched from Wrocław at 12:00 UTC recorded moderate atmospheric instability, abundant moisture, and strong low-level wind shear, ingredients commonly associated with supercell thunderstorms.

Radar data from the Ramża weather radar showed clear signs of a tornadic storm at around 15:00 UTC.

Reflectivity scans revealed a well-defined hook echo, a radar feature frequently observed in tornado-producing supercells. Three-dimensional radar imagery also showed a bounded weak echo region (BWER), indicating a strong rotating updraft within the storm.

Ground surveys confirmed tornado damage near Balcarzowice, making this the second notable tornado to affect the area since 2008.

Rishav Kothari

Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.

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