Actions

Waterspouts, are they dangerous or not?

Severe weather awareness month: Discussing types of Waterspouts, how they form and if they are dangerous to us.

By: Katie McGraw

Posted

and last updated

A waterspout is a funnel that contains an intense vortex, sometimes destructive, of a small horizontal extent and which occurs over a body of water.

Waterspouts happen frequently on Lake Erie, especially from the end of July through September. This is because the water is at its warmest levels of the year. Anytime there is colder air over the warmer lake, there is a potential for waterspouts.

TWO TYPES OF WATERSPOUTS: Depending on how they form, waterspouts come in two types: tornadic and fair weather.

Tornadic waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water or move from land to water. They have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning.

Meanwhile, fair-weather waterspouts usually form along the dark flat base of a line of developing cumulus clouds. This type of waterspout is generally not associated with thunderstorms. While tornadic waterspouts develop downward in a thunderstorm, a fair weather waterspout develops on the surface of the water and works its way upward. By the time the funnel is visible, a fair-weather waterspout is near maturity. Fair-weather waterspouts form in light wind conditions so they normally move very little.

Research shows that fair-weather waterspouts exhibit a five-stage life cycle:

Stage 1 is the formation of a disk on the surface of the water, known as a dark spot
Stage 2 is a spiral pattern on the water's surface
Stage 3 is a formation of a spray ring
Stage 4 is where the waterspout becomes a visible funnel, and the lifecycle ends with the next stage
Stage 5 is where the waterspout decays

ARE WATERSPOUTS DANGEROUS?

If a waterspout moves onshore, the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning, as some of them can cause significant damage and injuries to people. Typically, fair weather waterspouts dissipate rapidly when they make landfall and rarely penetrate far inland.

Fair-weather waterspouts are typically less dangerous and are much more common than tornadic. However, if you are a boater or a person living along the coast of the Great Lakes, you should be aware of their destructive potential and take waterspouts seriously. They've been known to overturn boats, damage large ships, and put lives in jeopardy. When warnings are issued for waterspouts, be prepared to quickly seek safe harbor or to find shelter out of the path of the waterspout.