Tornado reported near José Martí Airport in Havana

A low-intensity tornado was reported this Monday near José Martí International Airport in Havana, with no confirmed property damage or disruptions to air operations at this time.

The information was revealed by Cuban meteorologist Elier Pila Fariñas through his official profile on the social network X, where he shared an image of the phenomenon and confirmed that it was a weak tornado that briefly formed in that area of the capital.

"A weak tornado has been reported at José Martí Airport in Havana," wrote the specialist, without providing further details about its duration or path.

In response, someone named El Cura Azul posted a video in the comments section showcasing the weather phenomenon.

For his part, specialist Alejandro Adonis Herrera, a member of the Facebook group "Meteorology for Cuba, Central America, and the Caribbean," also raised concerns about this phenomenon in Boyeros, the municipality where the airport is located.

In his post, Herrera reported an intense thunderstorm with hail that occurred at 6:20 p.m., accompanied by the sighting of a funnel cloud.

From the magazine Hola Habana, information was also reported about the adverse weather conditions in the capital: "Heavy rain is falling in Havana with thunderstorms. Protect yourself,” they alerted on their social media, joining citizen reports that highlight the intensity of the rain and the electrical activity recorded in several municipalities throughout Havana on Monday afternoon.

Several residents in Havana shared their experiences on social media, surprised by the intensity of the event. In particular, from the municipality of Boyeros, numerous reports emerged that agreed on the presence of hail, strong winds, and thunderstorms.

"Here in Boyeros it hailed, there was a lot of thunder and soooooo much strong wind, but strong, oh my God! It was as if something like last year's was about to happen," wrote Elizabeth Berestein Guerra.

Citizen reports were not limited to Boyeros. From other parts of the capital, residents shared on social media the intensity of the rains and the unusual weather conditions experienced this Monday.

“Here, in El Cerro, it's raining heavily and there are many lightning strikes,” wrote Reinier Frank Rubio Martínez, in a message that coincided with other reports about active storms in different municipalities of Havana.

From Plaza de la Revolución, Leticia Argibay described an even more alarming scene: “Small hail here in the Plaza, very strong lightning, rain, and strong winds as if it were a tornado,” she commented, accompanying her post with emojis of astonishment.

On his part, Yasiel Cintra, located near the airport, noted: “Here near the airport, it’s raining heavily,” which confirms the widespread nature of the phenomenon, at least in much of southwestern Havana.

In recent weeks, various unusual weather phenomena have affected several provinces in Cuba, particularly Artemisa and Havana.

Last Thursday, a tornado struck the locality of Puerta de Golpe in the municipality of Alquízar, Artemisa, causing damage to roofs of homes, uprooted trees, and compromised utility poles. Neighbors shared images of the funnel and described the intensity of the event, although fortunately, 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 and caused alarm among residents, even though it did not make landfall.

On that same day, a young Cuban experienced a terrifying moment when he narrowly escaped being struck by lightning in public. The incident, recorded by security cameras, went viral on social media due to the severity of the electric impact and the luck of the individual, who remained unharmed.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Tornado at José Martí Airport in Havana