THIS is the moment a funnel cloud was spotted extending towards the ground in a busy Irish town.
The scary sight was spotted above Athenry on Tuesday as grey clouds formed over the busy town.
Sharing the video X user @Bartekyayy said: “Small funnel cloud in Co. Galway.”
The user revealed she captured the footage over Athenry at 7.45pm on July 1.
And Alan O’Reilly of Carlow Weather explained to The Irish Sun exactly what the funnel clouds mean.
He said these clouds are a rotating, cone-shaped column of air extending from the bottom of a cloud.
Alan told us: “When they come down and touch the ground then they become a tornado.
“But a lot of funnel clouds never reach the ground and are like the ones that were spotted in Galway yesterday.”
He added: “Tornadoes are very rare in Ireland and I mean we do get them but they’re very rare in Ireland.”
And the funnel cloud over Galway was not the only one sspotted across Ireland, with Meteorologist Cathal Nolan sharing images of other sightings from across the country.
Posting on Ireland’s Weather Channel Facebook on Tuesday he said: “A great example of two small funnel clouds spotted in the last hour by numerous followers of the page.
“Such funnel clouds aren’t uncommon, and indeed Ireland typically sees hundreds of funnel clouds every year, but such funnel clouds are harmless.”
He added: “In fact Ireland sees on average 10 tornadoes a year, including water spouts, which are more common on the waters around Ireland than tornadoes overland.”
The most recent tornado to hit Ireland occurred in 2023 in Leitrim.
The tornado hit the village on December 10 causing damage to properties and cars.
THUNDER WARNING
It comes as Met Eireann have issued a major thunderstorm alert for today.
The weather bosses warned: “Sunny spells and scattered showers this afternoon, mainly over the northern half of the country with drier and brighter conditions further south.
“Some showers in the north will be heavy with the chance of an isolated thunderstorm.
“Patchy rain and drizzle will return to northwest and north this evening.”
And Met Eireann have also said cloud is set to linger over Ireland into the weekend meaning more funnel clouds are a possibility.
