please empty your brain below
We were on holiday in south west France when this happened - huge storm, roads flooding and a nearby campsite (fortunately not ours) devastated. We clearly saw the tornado cross the Arcachon basin, heading in our direction - scary. https://www.nytimes.com/1970/08/05/archives/9-dead-and-29-hurt-by-french-tornado.html

Steve | 30.01.23 - 8:34 a.m. | #

Also saw a flock of tiny ones sweep across a scout campsite in the Chilterns, picking up dry grass and the odd piece of paper. I stood in one.

Steve | 30.01.23 - 8:36 a.m. | #

About 3 or 4 years ago I was walking in Emmer Green on the Berks/Oxon border when I spotted to the north of me what looked like a decaying funnel cloud. I never found any evidence of a tornado that day in South Oxfordshire so I have to give myself a 0.

David | 30.01.23 - 9:02 a.m. | #

Is a derecho considered a tornado here? It's a tornado but "unspiralled". We had one last year in Ontario/Quebec, it claimed 10 lives. I watched the sky turn the colour of wasabi.

quin | 30.01.23 - 9:06 a.m. | #

Does a waterspout count?

If so, I claim 1 point.

I was on the beach near Barmouth one summer when people nearby started to point out to sea. I thought they had spotted some dolphins, but then realised they had seen a waterspout going south -> north a few miles offshore. It moved very quickly and made land somewhere on the Llyn Peninsula.

Sure enough, the following day's local paper reported a "tornado" in Pwllheli. No major damage, just a few slates blown off roofs.

John Simmons | 30.01.23 - 9:33 a.m. | #

I’d count a decent waterspout as a 1.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 30.01.23 - 9:50 a.m. | #

Was in Harlesden in 2006 while tornado occurred but didn’t realise it was an actual tornado until I heard it on the news

Keith | 30.01.23 - 11:05 a.m. | #

Saw an enormous wide Tornado when in Kansas in 1993 on a road trip back from Rockies. Incredible cloud formations and lightening storm, we were about 10 miles south of its track which was fortunately running parallel to where we were. Still got the kids into the motel bathroom which had no windows, until the Tornado Warning was lifted.

Second time in Atlanta at home we had a number of Tornado Watches, but once this escalated to a Tornado Warning. Had everyone into the windowless bathroom in the basement (kids in the bath again). Lightening storm you would not believe the flash frequency and the noise off the scale. Pictures in the paper the next morning showed several houses a few sub divisions away completely gone, just concrete pads left, but ones next door to these hardly damaged, apparently they were small tornadoes which "skip" their touchdowns, so very unpredictable and thus more frightening in some ways.

Richard | 30.01.23 - 11:25 a.m. | #

Salt Lake City in Aug 1999 a few weeks before my baby was born. Husband had an excellent view from his multi-storey, downtown office window but my experience was seeing the remnants disappearing into the mountains.

Cornish Cockney | 30.01.23 - 11:41 a.m. | #

A vivid childhood memory is seeing a waterspout from the beach at Exmouth. My father was there, so I must have been no more than 7. An older cousin and his parents were visiting us that day, so I must ask him whether he remembers.

JohnC | 30.01.23 - 2:51 p.m. | #

I lived in the US Midwest for about 10 years and had to shelter in the basement 4 times in total for tornado warnings. Fortunately never had my house demolished though.

DB83 | 30.01.23 - 5:12 p.m. | #

I lived in Zambia years ago. We had a tornado come through our block of flats. Ours was pretty unscathed but two next door blocks had their roofs stripped off.

Caroline | 30.01.23 - 5:44 p.m. | #

I'm counting my waterspout encounter as a 2.

I was sailing a 14ft dinghy in a race on the Blackwater in Essex. As we head up the estuary, along the southern shore, we saw a water spout less than a mile away near the northern shore. Close than I wanted such a thing to be, but not in a position to easily evade should it move our way!

Al__S | 30.01.23 - 5:55 p.m. | #

1958 Tornado (F2) in Wichita Falls, TX. As a child, we watched its approach before we sheltered in our house (no basement, so in the bathtub). Fortunately, it veered off from our path when it was less than a mile away. Also as a child, while my father was driving us (at a very high rate of speed) across the plains of Oklahoma, I watched out the car window as one tornado cell formed five fingers--all touching the ground periodically in a macabre dance. Not something one forgets.
I've experienced any number of other tornado warnings where I've had to shelter. The 2002 LaPlata tornado (F4--very rate in the mid-Atlantic) was a devastating one, killing three and injuring 162. Although it only came within five miles of our home (as we sheltered in the basement), our property was littered with debris from homes and businesses (e.g. siding, insulation, papers and tree limbs) that had been picked up by the tornado and tossed over many, many miles.

Mary | 30.01.23 - 6:30 p.m. | #

A watersprout rather than a tornado since it was over land but off the Mediterranean coast near Sete. Far out enough to not be a risk to anyone.

Matthieu | 30.01.23 - 9:09 p.m. | #

Observed from Ridgewell Airfield in north Essex on 4th July 1997. Funnel clouds first seen some of which which eventually grounded.

GB | Homepage | 30.01.23 - 9:35 p.m. | #

I gave myself a 1. I have been in Atlanta and Toronto when tornado warnings were in place, including one time in Atlanta when air-raid sirens went off and we were told by the hotel to close the drapes and stay away from the windows. Not seen one in person, other than a waterspout.

Greg | 31.01.23 - 7:50 a.m. | #

(1) Bastia - the previous night, curious cloud formations converging at a point out at sea. Next morning - three waterspouts heading ominously in our direction, enough to warrant hasty exit plans, but fortunately they retreated before landfall.

(2) NW London 2006 - on phone at upstairs window, suddenly saw bizarre green clouds moving very fast, and horizontal lightning; related this to colleague on phone. Learnt of Kensal Green tornado a mile away later that day. Phew! Counts as a 2 I think.

Strabismus | 31.01.23 - 1:23 p.m. | #

Reasonably impressive tornado in Northampton a few years ago, but despite living about a mile from its path, I managed not to see any of it, so don't suppose that counts. Did see a quite striking funnel cloud form and descend over Milton Keynes about 7 years ago, but didn't touch down, so guess that's a 1? Very strange sight to behold, as although you know what it is, your brain can't quite process that it's a) real and b) above Milton Keynes (insert "millions of pounds of improvements" joke at will).

PhilD | 03.02.23 - 11:35 p.m. | #











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