Supercell thunderstorm churns massive tornado in French village - Videos

A tornado swept through a small village in southwestern France on Monday, injuring several people and damaging more than 300 homes. French officials said that in the affected village of Pomas in the Aude region, two people are in critical condition from the twister, with 37 others injured. Authorities confirmed that no one is reported missing. Meanwhile, the tornado left around 21,000 homes without power, the energy grid operator ENEDIS said.

Interior minister Laurent Nunez termed the tornado "rare intensity" on X, calling it "severely damaging" to the village. Videos shared on social media show the tornado swishing and churning in the nearby village of Verzeille late on Monday under a violent supercell thunderstorm. Wind speeds exceeded 240 km/hr and ripped roofs off buildings.

The region was under an orange warning for thunderstorms. Tornadoes are common in France, although they are not as intense as in the US. English-language French outlet The Connexion reported that the country sees nearly 50 twisters every year.

Videos of France tornado

In fact, several of the tornadoes strike the northwest and the Mediterranean coastal area at night and mostly go unnoticed.

Why did a tornado form in France?

The tornado struck following five major heat domes in France and the Mediterranean region this season. It got exceptionally hot as heatwaves gripped the country. Extreme heat left the lower atmosphere exceptionally warm and laden with moisture. This created a large reservoir of convective energy (CAPE).