The 2026 European tornado season is the current season of tornadoes and tornado outbreaks across Europe in 2026. As of October, there have been 250 confirmed tornadoes across several countries, resulting in 2 fatalities and at least 97 injuries

Note: Some tornadoes have been rated using different scales. They are counted as their closest IF-Scale equivalent on this table Note: 10 tornadoes have been confirmed but have not been rated yet.

Many different meteorological organizations across Europe document tornado events, often using different tornado intensity scales, including the TORRO (T) scale, the Fujita (F) scale, the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale, and the International Fujita (IF) scale. For consistency, this list primarily uses the IF-scale, the preferred scale of the European Severe Storms Laboratory (ESSL) and its database, the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD).

Climatology

Despite their similar areas, Europe sees significantly fewer tornadoes than the United States. Geography plays a major role in this discrepancy, with the unique features in North America making areas like Tornado Alley ideal for severe weather, while many of these conditions are generally less optimal in Europe. However, the under-reporting of weaker tornadoes across the continent also contributes to this. This under-reporting primarily stems from a lack of pan-European collaboration in monitoring tornadoes, resulting in less public and institutional awareness of them or their danger or the real threat they pose, despite many occurrences of violent, damaging, and deadly tornadoes across the continent.

Tornado activity in Europe typically peaks in the summer months and is lowest during the winter months. More specifically, Central and Northern Europe peak in the summer, the western and central Mediterranean regions peak in autumn, and the eastern Mediterranean region peaks in the winter. Tornadoes over land most often occur in the late afternoon and early evening hours. On the other hand, waterspouts, which sometimes move ashore in coastal areas and become tornadoes, peak in late spring and typically occur earlier in the day

Season summary

Note: Unrated tornadoes are counted as IFU on the graphs

January was shockingly active, with 26 tornadoes reported, including five rated IF2. The first half of the month was relatively inactive, while the final week produced 17 tornadoes overall, including three strong IF2 tornadoes in Turkey, France, and Spain. It also featured a long-track tornado, which occurred in Mios, France, and had a path length of 23.3 km. In total, four injuries and one fatality were reported. The fatality occurred when three kitesurfers were caught in a probable waterspout off Tayo Beach in Tel Aviv; one 40-year-old man was lofted approximately 150 meters and fatally injured after being thrown into rocks, while another man sustained minor injuries.

February was average overall, but starting on 18 February an extremely unusual three-week period with no tornadoes reported occurred due to persistent ridging across southern Europe and record-breaking warm and dry conditions. These conditions continued into March, which ended as a very inactive month with fewer tornadoes reported than in February. An early-season tornado occurred in Romania and was rated IF1.5.

May was the most active month of the year, with 75 confirmed tornadoes, with nine IF2's reported, along with other high rated tornadoes. Most of the significant tornadoes occurred on May 3rd in Turkey and surrounding countries, with seven of the IF2's and the IF2.5 and IF4 tornado, the first to be rated IF4 since 2021, May would end up being the most active month of the year, and the most strongest. On May 3rd, a violent IF4 tornado would strike Syria and Turkey as part of a large tornado outbreak from May 2nd-4th.

June was very active, with 42 reported tornadoes, with one IF2 tornado that struck Southern Kaunas, Lithuania and one that struck Mantua, Italy, and one IF3 tornado that struck Kushva, Russia. The first half of the month was active for Eastern Europe and Germany, with an IF1.5 tornado striking North Rhine-Westphalia after crossing the border into Germany, and with Lithuania's second ever tornado outbreak, with an IF1.5 tornado, followed by with the first and only IF2 tornado of the outbreak. The later half of the month was relatively inactive outside of the IF3 tornado that struck Kushva on June 22, and the IF2 that struck Mantua on June 29.

July was very inactive, with only 2 IF2's striking Italy and Germany, and overall only 22 tornadoes. An IF2 struck Bagnatica in Italy, and later on an outbreak of 3 tornadoes occurred in Germany, with one striking Groß Offenseth-Aspern, being rated IF2. This month was overall incredibly inactive compared to other months, but still had more tornadoes than February and March. To end the season off, a tornado in northern Fülesd in Hungary was rated IF1.5.

August was very active, with 59 tornadoes, 3 being rated IF2, and 2 IF3's striking Germany and France. An IF2 hit Eferding in Austria, and a day later a major outbreak consisting of many tornadoes, including one IF2 that hit Braunfels, and one IF3 that struck Ohrdruf in Germany. On August 24th, a large and intense IF3 struck a village near Carcassonne, France. 300 homes were damaged or destroyed, 1,000 people were in need of medical help, and 41 people were injured. The first half of the month was overall inactive, with an IF1.5 nocturnal tornado during a down burst occurring in Didžioji Riešė, Vilnius and then an IF1.5 near the Lithuanian border in Belarus. The final half of the month was very active, with multiple strong tornado outbreaks in Western and Central Europe. To round off the active end to August, an IF2 tornado moved to the north west of Tholen, Zeeland, doing major debranching to trees.

January

4 January event

+ List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, 4 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IF1.5FrattocchieLazioItaly10:18A tornado downed multiple trees and a large tent. Several roofs were damaged, one of which was partially torn off its building.

5 January event

+ List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, 5 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IFURomeLazioItaly11:40A waterspout likely made landfall but no damage was reported.

7 January event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Wednesday, 7 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IF2KalpakiEpirusGreece16:30A strong tornado destroyed a poultry farm, killing tens of thousands of chickens. The tornado also significantly damaged two other buildings, both of which had partially collapsed walls. A church, watchtowers and other structures were also damaged.

8 January event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Thursday, 8 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IF1.5GiannitsochoriWestern GreeceGreece05:20This tornado overturned a car and damaged greenhouses. IF2Kızılağaç to Karacalar to SülekAntalyaTurkey16:35This strong tornado struck three villages and caused significant damage. The roofs to approximately six buildings were heavily damaged, multiple barns suffered wall collapses, numerous greenhouses were destroyed, and several trees were snapped or uprooted. A parked Fiat car was tossed and overturned, injuring its occupant.

9 January event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Friday, 9 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IFUBat YamTel AvivIsrael11:39–11:401 death – A waterspout killed one and injured another kitesurfer off the coast of Bat Yam. The waterspout made landfall before quickly dissipating, causing no damage. IFUHrvatskaRivanjCroatia16:00A waterspout formed over the sea before quickly dissipating, causing no damage. IFUHrvatskaPetrcaneCroatia16:12-16:13A waterspout formed over the sea before quickly dissipating, causing no damage.

12 January event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Monday, 12 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IF0.5EboliCampaniaItaly14:40A waterspout moved ashore, uprooting trees and snapping large tree branches.

18 January event + List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, 18 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IFUMarsa MatrouhMatrouhEgypt07:45Two simultaneous waterspouts were observed, one of which made landfall at a beach and caused no known damage.

25 January event

+ List of confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, 25 January 2026IF#LocationRegionCountryStart coord.Time (UTC)Path lengthMax. width IF1.5RiocaudNouvelle-AquitaineFrance13:54A tornado touched down in the village of Riocaud and quickly caused significant structural damage, most notably ripping the roof off a church and damaging nearby buildings as debris was scattered through the area. As it moved along its path, additional homes and structures sustained roof damage, with some buildings partially opened or damaged by flying debris, while multiple trees were uprooted or snapped. The tornado continued through rural areas with damage to vegetation and other structures before lifting. This tornado was rated EF1 by KERAUNOS.

26 January event