A funnel cloud has been photographed and filmed in Somerset this evening (Thursday, June 20).

The weather phenomenon occurred in Yeovil after spells of cloudy and heavy rain hit the town after 5pm.

The photos show grey overcast clouds with a tornado-like spiral cloud trailing off it.

The Met Office says tornados are a type of funnel cloud - the difference is that tornados touch the ground.

One Yeovil resident caught this funnel cloud in the town on Thursday afternoon (June 20)
One Yeovil resident caught this funnel cloud in the town on Thursday afternoon (June 20)

Yeovil 'tornado' sighting

Jamie Newman said he "wasn't sure whether it was more than just a cloud" while Charity Smith described it as "like a spiral of cloud being pulled downward".

She added the sight was "really interesting" and filmed it on her phone, which can be viewed, below.

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The funnel cloud comes after similar incidents near Wellington and Burnham-on-Sea earlier this month.

What is a funnel cloud?

One witness described the funnel cloud as "like a spiral of cloud being pulled downward".
One witness described the funnel cloud as "like a spiral of cloud being pulled downward".

The Met Office describe a funnel cloud as "a cone-shaped cloud which extends from the base of a cloud towards the ground without actually reaching the surface."

Funnel clouds form after a "rotating column of wind draws in cloud droplets, making a region of intense low pressure visible" and is created during "intensely low pressure".

The weather forecasters describe the sight as like a tornado, before describing how it was different from a tornado.

"A funnel cloud does not reach the earth's surface, at the point it reaches land it becomes a tornado, or if it reaches a body of water it becomes a waterspout", a spokesman added.

"In a typical year, the UK sees around 30-35 tornadoes each year, though it is very rare that are they strong enough to cause any significant damage."

Did you spot the funnel cloud? Did you get any photos or video of it?

Get in touch: Email michael.taylor@reachplc.com, tweet @JournoMikeT or call 01935 709742.

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