Small tornado touches down in southeastern Washington

RICHLAND, Wash. (AP) - A small tornado appeared to touch down just north of Richland on Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.

People emailed photos and videos to the agency that show a rotating dark cloud column that appears to touch the ground, the Tri-City Herald reported.

Meteorologists checked radar images and saw possible evidence of a tornado between 2:30 and 2:45 p.m.

People in Benton City reported a hail storm and strong winds between 3 and 3:30 p.m.

There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Tornadoes are rare in Washington state. A tornado touched down just west of Seattle in December 2018.