A low-intensity tornado was observed on Monday near Havana's José Martí International Airport. So far, there have been no reports of property damage or disruptions to flight operations. The announcement came from Cuban meteorologist Elier Pila Fariñas, who shared a photo of the tornado on his official social media profile, confirming the brief appearance of this weak tornado in the capital.
"Weak tornado reported at José Martí Airport in Havana," wrote Pila Fariñas, providing no additional information regarding the tornado's duration or path. In response, a user named El Cura Azul shared a video of the meteorological event in the comments section. Additionally, Alejandro Adonis Herrera, a member of the Facebook group "Meteorology for Cuba, Central America, and the Caribbean," also warned about the incident in Boyeros, the municipality where the airport is located.
Herrera's post highlighted a severe lightning storm with hail, which occurred at 6:20 p.m., accompanied by the sighting of a funnel cloud. The magazine Hola Habana also reported on the adverse weather conditions in the capital, advising, "Heavy rain in Havana with thunderstorms. Stay safe," joining citizen reports that detailed the intense rain and electrical activity in various parts of Havana on Monday afternoon.
Residents across Havana shared their experiences on social media, expressing surprise at the event's intensity. Many reports from Boyeros spoke of hail, strong winds, and thunderstorms. "It hailed here in Boyeros, lots of thunder and verrry strong winds, just like last year's storm," wrote Elizabeth Berestein Guerra.
Reports weren't limited to Boyeros. From other parts of the capital, locals shared on social media the intense rains and atypical weather conditions experienced that Monday. "Here in El Cerro, heavy rain with lots of lightning," wrote Reinier Frank Rubio Martínez, echoing other reports of active storms in different Havana neighborhoods.
In Plaza de la Revolución, Leticia Argibay described a more alarming scene: "Small hail here in Plaza, very strong lightning, rain, and winds like a tornado," she commented, using astonished emojis. Yasiel Cintra, located near the airport, added: "Heavy rain near the airport," confirming the geographical spread of the phenomenon, affecting much of southwestern Havana.
In recent weeks, unusual weather events have impacted several Cuban provinces, notably Artemisa and Havana. Last Thursday, a tornado struck Puerta de Golpe in the Artemisa municipality of Alquízar, causing damage to house roofs, uprooting trees, and threatening power lines. Residents shared images of the funnel cloud and described the intensity of the event, though thankfully no injuries were reported.
Two days later, a waterspout was captured on video off the northern coast of Artemisa. The phenomenon was visible from various locations, causing alarm among residents, although it did not reach land. On the same day, a young Cuban had a terrifying close call when he narrowly avoided being struck by lightning in public. Security cameras recorded the incident, which went viral on social media due to the dramatic nature of the lightning strike and the young man's fortunate escape unharmed.
Understanding Weather Phenomena in Cuba
What areas in Havana were affected by the recent tornado?
The tornado was reported near José Martí International Airport in Havana, with significant weather activity also noted in the Boyeros municipality and other parts of southwestern Havana.
Have there been other recent weather events in Cuba?
Yes, recently a tornado occurred in Puerta de Golpe, Alquízar in Artemisa, and a waterspout was seen off the northern coast of Artemisa, causing concern among residents.
How have residents reacted to these weather events?
Residents have taken to social media to share their experiences and the severity of these weather events, expressing surprise and concern over the unusual intensity.