On Wednesday evening, shortly after 6pm, a "funnel cloud" was spotted near Niederpallen.
The phenomenon, which remained visible for about ten minutes before dissipating, was reported to RTL by a reader on Thursday evening. Based on observations, it does not appear to have touched the ground. German meteorology expert Jörg Kachelmann therefore ruled out the possibility that it was a tornado.
According to Kachelmann, the event was most likely a "small funnel cloud."
"Funnel clouds," also known as cold-air funnels, often form during showers or weak thunderstorms when the air in the upper atmosphere is particularly cold.
This phenomenon occurs most frequently in autumn or spring, when the sun has sufficiently warmed the lower atmospheric layers to create convection – leading to rain – while temperatures at altitudes of around 4,500 to 6,000 metres remain very low.
Funnel clouds are generally harmless. In very rare cases, however, they can reach the ground and cause damage with winds of up to 135km/h. That was not the case here.
