A mini tornado, with a diameter of approximately 12-15 metres, has made its presence felt in a rural area of Ras Al Khaimah, showcasing the region’s unpredictable weather tendencies.
Captured on video by the Storm Centre and shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, the tornado’s dramatic footage has been making rounds on social media.
The Storm Centre tweeted, “Emirates: now in the direction of Siji and Kadra, south of Ras Al Khaimah,” accompanying the tweet with the video of the tornado in action.
الامارات : الان جهة سيجي وكدرا جنوب رأس الخيمة #مركز_العاصفة
29_8_2023 pic.twitter.com/QtRy0VFMl9— مركز العاصفة (@Storm_centre) August 29, 2023
Tornadoes, often colloquially referred to as twisters, are identified by their vertically swirling air funnels and commonly emerge during turbulent weather conditions.
The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) issued an orange weather alert for segments of Sharjah and Fujairah. Additionally, yellow alerts were dispatched for Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah, serving as a caution for the unsettled atmospheric conditions. The NCM kept the public informed through its social media platforms, notifying residents about heavy rainfall recorded in several areas of Fujairah and Sharjah.
Last September, a similar mini tornado was captured on camera in rural Sharjah as well as reports of a miniature twister in Al Ain.