On July 20th, from 16:39 to 16:42, a brief tornado appeared over the sky of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Some streets recorded wind gusts of up to level 8, causing large trees to topple and the glass windows of residents’ homes to be blown down.
A viral video showed dark clouds covering the sky, with a long and slender funnel-shaped cloud twisting continuously, seemingly reaching towards the tops of tall buildings.
According to reports from Ningbo Daily and Ningbo Evening News, on that day, residents in Jiangbei and Zhenhai districts witnessed what appeared to be a tornado in the sky. Streets like Zhuangqiao and Zhuangshi observed wind gusts reaching level 8.
A staff member from the Ningbo Meteorological Observatory responded to Jiu Pai News, saying that based on the video footage, the tornado appeared to be located in the vicinity of Longshan Hospital of Ningbo First Hospital, lasting for about 4 minutes, roughly between 16:39 and 16:42.
The staff member further mentioned that the tornado did not reach the ground, only rotating in the air, with only two or three automatic weather stations on the ground recording maximum wind gusts of level 8. The impact on the ground was relatively minor, and the affected area should not exceed ten kilometers. The meteorological bureau has not received any reports of injuries or property damage.
However, photos and videos shared by netizens in Ningbo showed that the tornado eventually touched the ground briefly near the junction of Yongjiang Street and Zhuangqiao Street in Jiangbei District, causing large trees to fall and balcony windows to be blown down near Waicao Village.
A witness told Xinjing News that she saw white smoke swirling in the sky, initially mistaking it for smoke from a fire, only to realize later that it was a tornado. Many items were blown away by the strong winds.