BAY VILLAGE, Ohio — Nearly a dozen waterspouts have been spotted over Lake Erie and Lake Michigan over the last two days, and on Tuesday, several Northeast Ohio residents got to witness the phenomenon for themselves as at least one waterspout was seen over Lake Erie west of Cleveland.
Joe Matejka shared a dramatic video of a very long, thin waterspout rising out of Lake Erie, taken from Bay Village Tuesday:
Matejka wasn’t the only one who captured the waterspout — several other Bay Village and Westlake residents sent photos of the funnel to the National Weather Service in Cleveland.
Another vantage point of the waterspouts just moments ago off the lakeshore of Westlake as of 1:45 pm. @ICWR #OHwx #PAwx #NWS #Cleveland #LakeErie #WaterSpouts https://t.co/iu7chGqgTk
— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) September 13, 2022
Nice funnel...possible waterspout just captured about 5 minutes ago looking north from Westlake. @ICWR #OHwx #PAwx #NWS #Cleveland https://t.co/LfAi0yjJst
— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) September 13, 2022
NWS Cleveland put out an alert Tuesday morning, stating that conditions are favorable for the development of waterspouts within the scattered showers that persisted over Lake Erie.
Waterspouts are possible within showers on Lake Erie this morning into this afternoon. Statements or warnings may be issued if conditions become more favorable or if we receive any reports of waterspouts. pic.twitter.com/8WlZWHOz10
— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) September 13, 2022
The International Centre for Waterspout Research also confirmed that waterspouts were likely Tuesday morning over Lake Erie and Lake Michigan. That group has confirmed 10 waterspouts and funnels in the region over the last two days.
Great Lakes Waterspout Outbreak Update (Day 3). Numerous waterspouts likely this morning over Lakes Erie and Michigan. We have confirmed 10 waterspouts / funnels in the last 2 days. Send us your reports! https://t.co/WPioHG0Az6 #onstorm #miwx #ohwx pic.twitter.com/uPKD1cV3hE
— ICWR (@ICWR) September 13, 2022
Waterspouts occur when colder air aloft high in the sky causes instability meets warm, moist air rising from the relatively warm water of the lake, causing a convergence of wind of rapidly developing cumulus towers, according to the NWS.
You can watch for waterspouts on these #LakeErie webcams📸@ICWR @NWSCLE #OHwx #PAwx https://t.co/GkgSyZIUHzhttps://t.co/SCc487Jbiyhttps://t.co/SjWiuSDKO0https://t.co/u9hyT5pRd8https://t.co/vFsNO5tiEThttps://t.co/OMp6Wn2kJAhttps://t.co/loTFO5gFJYhttps://t.co/WNvRV5h5dK pic.twitter.com/Tcvm7ON2FG
— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) September 13, 2022
This isn’t the first time this season that a large waterspout was observed in Northeast Ohio. Several viewers sent us videos of a waterspout just off the coast of Lake Erie on Aug. 2, and thanks to its location and their vantage point, many captured the waterspout with the Cleveland skyline in the background.
RELATED: Waterspout spotted on Lake Erie just offshore from Cleveland Tuesday morning
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