CARLA TALBOT

Stunned residents in Linwood were left feeling like they lived in Kansas after the beginnings of a tornado formed in the sky.

Shocked onlookers spotted the funnel clouds forming in the stormy sky, with many taking to social media to share their disbelief.

The cloud formations, which are formed by thunderclouds, are the core of a tornado - leaving Linwood like a scene from the Wizard of Oz.

If a funnel cloud touches the ground it is generally regarded as a tornado and could lift debris and even cause some minor damage.

It came after a yellow weather warning was issued for most of the country.

Many residents spotted the unusual sight over the south side of Paisley in the Glenburn and Foxbar area and then it is thought to have drifted south across the Glennifer Braes and into East Ayrshire.

And fears that a tornado could have been on the way were confirmed by STV weather reporter Sean Batty who shared the images on Twitter.

He said: “Lots of you seem to have spotted this funnel cloud over Renfrewshire earlier on.

“I’ve seen a few photos where it looks like it could have almost touched down - the point where it would have become a tornado.”

Grahame Madge, a Met Office spokesman, also confirmed that while they are more common in America, the phemomenon of funnel clouds are known to be spotted in the UK.

He said: “A funnel cloud is the early development stage of a tornado, but it only becomes a tornado if the bottom of the spiral actually reaches the ground.

In the UK we see around two to three dozen tornadoes each year. Funnel clouds and tornadoes are signs of a very dynamic atmosphere and are always associated with thunderstorms, with their intense updrafts and downdrafts.

“And these are the conditions which we have over parts of the UK and thunderstorms remain in the forecast for the next few days, with a yellow weather warning for heavy rain and thunderstorms on Sunday southern Scotland.

“Rotation can begin beneath the cloud and when this happens a funnel cloud can be formed.”