In this country, it seems like the rain is falling upwards! They also explained why

One such moment was recorded by 41-year-old Samy Jacobsen while he was walking along the coast of Suðuroy Island. Armed only with a phone, he witnessed and filmed a swirl of sea foam and water rising up the 470-meter high Beinisvørð sea cliff, creating the illusion of a waterfall flowing into the sky. His footage quickly traveled the world, showing all the raw power and unpredictability of the weather on this isolated island.

A sight that leaves you breathless

That day, Samy Jacobsen decided to explore a lesser-known part of the island, motivated by dramatic weather conditions. The sky and the sea almost merged in the storm, creating a perfect backdrop for spectacular photos.

​- I felt the need to walk in an area that I rarely explore, and at the same time I wanted to try out my sister’s iPhone, which I knew could take great photos and videos – explained Jacobsen. ​

– When I recorded that video, it definitely caused a ‘wow’ effect. Već I’ve seen the wind raise the air in that area before, but I’ve never investigated it further.

There are many small streams nearby that defy gravity in stormy conditions, and huge amounts of seawater are blown far inland. That’s why it’s not always easy to discern what it’s all about. His experience is no exception. On the Faroe Islands, located in the path of North Atlantic cyclones, the winds are so strong that they regularly create scenes that seem unreal.

What do the experts say?

Meteorologists were quick to offer an explanation for this incredible phenomenon. Greg Dewhurst, a senior operational meteorologist at Britain’s Met Office, described the sight as “spectacular” and explained that it was a water leech.

​- It is a spiral column of air that forms like a tornado over water. In this case, the edge of the cliff helps to swirl the wind, due to which the leech forms very quickly. Unstable weather over that area, with heavy downpours, creates ideal conditions for their formation – explained Dewhurst.

Although water leeches are not uncommon in unstable weather conditions, they are rarely seen in such a dramatic form, where the water rises hundreds of meters up.

Otoč is where storms are everyday

The Faroe Islands are known for their capricious and extreme weather.

Their location in the North Atlantic, under the influence of the warm North Atlantic Current (a branch of the Gulf Stream), provides them with relatively mild winters, but at the same time exposes them to strong and powerful storms. Scientific studies show that the Faroe Islands are hit by an average of almost five storms a year, and most of them occur during the autumn and winter months.

The mountainous terrain additionally increases the force of the wind, creating intense local turbulence. While mountains can provide shelter during moderate winds, during extreme storms they can double the force of wind gusts, causing significant damage. One of the most infamous storms was the one on Božić in 1988, when an average wind speed of 59 m/s was recorded on the Norðadalsskarð mountain pass, which is almost twice the threshold for a hurricane.

These conditions shaped not only the landscape, butć and people’s lives. Houses and infrastructure in the Faroe Islands are built to withstand the strongest gusts of wind, and residents are used to sudden weather changes, road closures and traffic disruptions. Their resilience and adaptability are keyč are survival in one of the windiest inhabited areas in the world.