Funnel cloud spotted in Cape Coral as severe storms bring hail

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)—A funnel cloud was spotted over south Cape Coral, shocking residents who witnessed the rare sight.

As the Weather Authority, WINK News is committed to keeping you safe and informed during severe weather.

In Cape Coral, many residents looked up Wednesday afternoon and saw something you don’t see every day in Southwest Florida—a funnel cloud forming in the sky.

“One of the kids says, ‘Hey, is that a tornado?’ No, no, it can’t… and wow, sure enough, it is,” said Ryan Kamba.

Kamba says he was doing the most Florida thing possible—relaxing in the pool—when the sky suddenly stole the show.

“It was probably a good 90 seconds that we could see it,” he said.

“I was in disbelief. I couldn’t believe it. That can’t be a tornado—it’s sunny here, it’s nice.”

While the funnel cloud spun just a couple miles away, Kamba says the weather where he was stayed calm and sunny.

“It was really nice here. The sun was out.”

A funnel cloud only becomes a tornado if it touches the ground—and in this case, it did not. Still, it’s not something many people expect to see here.

“I’ve seen tornadoes in Wisconsin, but never in Florida,” Kamba added.

But in other parts of Cape Coral, conditions looked very different.

Afternoon thunderstorms brought hail, heavy rain, and strong winds—catching some residents off guard.

“They’re huge… I’ve never seen hail before,” one person said as ice fell from the sky.

“Good enough—we could go skiing or something,” joked Ray Batchelder.

Batchelder, a former Air Force weather observer, says days like this are a reminder to always be prepared.

“We should always make sure we have an interior wall, no windows to go to. There’s no basements here, so we’ve got to do the best we can,” he said.

While Southwest Florida is no stranger to sudden storms, this system showed just how quickly conditions can change—from sunshine to severe weather in a matter of minutes.

As the Weather Authority, WINK News will continue to bring you updates and show you how to keep your family safe as we head deeper into storm season.