China: Burning Paper Spirals Into Mini Tornado After You Shen Ritual in Guangdong

A Chinese worship ceremony appeared to trigger a sudden mini tornado when burning paper offerings spiraled into the air without any warning wind. Filmed on February 25, 2026, in Lianjiang, Guangdong, the video shows ashes and flames suddenly twisting into a vertical column shortly after a traditional You Shen ritual ended. Residents had been burning paper ingots when the fire rapidly spun upward, forming what looked like a small tornado. The woman who recorded the scene, surnamed Huang, said the air had been completely still moments before the ashes violently lifted off the ground. The swirling column gradually weakened, and the burning paper fell back down as the air returned to calm.

China: Strong Autumn Gusts Create “Leaf Vortex” in Henan Province

On November 24, 2025, in Henan, China, powerful gusts gathered fallen leaves into a circular motion, forming a swirling vortex on the pavement.

China: Dust Devil Spotted Whirling in Gobi Desert, Haixi

A dust devil appeared in the Gobi Desert, in Heidushan, Haixi, on August 17. According to Ms. Xia, who filmed the scene, the miniature tornado danced across the terrain like a restless spirit, leaving trails of dust behind as it shifted unpredictably over the barren land.

A Mini-Tornado Forms Over Air Show - La Ferte-Alais

A Mini-Tornado Forms Over Air Show - La Ferte-Alais

A mini-tornado forms behind a DC3 during the air show on May 18, 2024 in La Ferte-Alais, south of Paris, France. France’s premier air show is held each year at Cerny aerodrome, close to the picturesque town of La Ferte-Alais, just a short distance from Paris. The event itself takes place during the weekend of Pentecost, fifty days after Easter, and thus the date for any given year varies between mid-May and mid-June. Photo by Thomas Arnoux/ABACAPRESS.COM