Surprise in El Retiro: a waterspout causes a stir and goes viral

A curious weather phenomenon has swept through social media and sparked surprise among visitors to El Retiro Park in Madrid. What many thought was a tornado suddenly appeared over the famous pond, creating a small whirlpool that rocked several boats and even caused some tourists to end up in the water. The moment, captured on video, went viral within hours.

The images show a vortex of wind spinning over the surface of the water, throwing up spray and attracting the attention of everyone present. Although it has been dubbed the “Retiro tornado” on social media, experts have confirmed that it was actually a waterspout or mini water spout: a striking phenomenon, but without the destructive power of a real tornado. To be considered a tornado, the vortex would have had to connect with a cloud and show a greater temperature difference between the water and the air, neither of which occurred in this case. This phenomenon coincided with a day marked by a weather alert in the capital. High temperatures, strong winds and low humidity created ideal conditions for these unexpected whirlwinds to appear. No injuries or material damage were reported, but there were plenty of frights and an avalanche of comments on social media, where many users combined surprise with humour.

The incident also served as a reminder of the importance of heeding weather warnings in public spaces such as El Retiro, where the City Council activates special protocols when there is a risk of falling branches or trees.