A severe weather system believed to be a tornado was caught on camera as it ripped through parts of Randfontein, on Wednesday.
Was it a tornado? – Randfontein sustains damage from severe weather system
Gauteng emergency response teams have been deployed to several parts of the province heavily impacted by torrential weather.
On social media, videos have surfaced showing what appears to be a rotating column of air passing through a residential area in Randfontein.
One video showed the roof of a shopping centre completely shredded.
In another set of pictures, a housing complex’s top covering was entirely destroyed.
Gauteng traffic services have been dispatched to streets blocked off by uprooted trees.
While a statement from Gauteng authorities has yet to be received, a circular shared with community policing forums in Randfontein, Sandton and surrounds indicates that emergency officials are treating this as a tornado event.
“Extensive damage has been reported and emergency services are assisting. The South African Weather Service will provide further information,” the circular reads.
When this article was published, the SA weather service had not released its daily regional forecast for Thursday, 28 November. However, according to the circular, Gauteng authorities are monitoring “the current storm passing over Gauteng … with weather warnings in effect until 20:00 today.”
A tornado is classified based on specific meteorological characteristics, the damage it causes, and observational data.
To be officially recognised as a tornado, there must be a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.
If the rotation does not make contact with the ground, it is referred to as a funnel cloud.
Tornadoes are typically associated with severe thunderstorms, especially supercells, which contain a persistent rotating updraft called a mesocyclone.
The strength of a tornado is determined using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale, which estimates wind speeds based on the damage it causes.
This scale ranges from EF0, indicating light damage with winds between 105–137 km/h, to EF5, signifying incredible damage with winds exceeding 322 km/h.
For instance, EF1 tornadoes have winds between 138–177 km/h, while EF3 tornadoes feature winds of 218–266 km/h.
Meteorologists and experts assess damage patterns to classify a tornado since direct measurements of wind speeds are uncommon.
