Summer season weather phenomena: waterspouts and waterspout safety

Yahoo

a day ago

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – As we move into the summer months, we enter waterspout season. Waterspouts can be simply described as tornadoes that form over water. They fall into two main categories: fair-weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts.
Tornadic Waterspouts
Tornadic waterspouts are essentially tornadoes that occur over water. They either form directly over the water or begin as land-based tornadoes that move offshore. Like their land counterparts, tornadic waterspouts are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by heavy rain, lightning, strong winds and turbulent conditions.
Fair Weather Waterspouts
Fair-weather waterspouts form during calm, quiet conditions—typically in the summer months, especially morning through early afternoon. Unlike tornadic waterspouts, these develop from the surface of the water upward, often triggered by the interaction between land and sea breezes, which creates the necessary upward motion. Fair-weather waterspouts tend to remain nearly stationary, but if one moves onshore, a tornado warning may be issued. While generally less dangerous than tornadic waterspouts, they can still be hazardous, appearing suddenly on otherwise calm weather days.
There are five stages of fair weather waterspouts:
Dark Spot: A lighter colored disk shape appears over the water with a darker colored disk shape around it.
Spiral Pattern: A pattern of light and dark colored bands spiraling out of the dark spot can be seen.
Spray Ring: A dense swirling ring of sea spray forms around the dark spot
Mature Vortex: The waterspout forms from water to cloud. This vortex can rise to a height of several hundred feet or more.
Decay: The vortex dissipates as the warm air flow weakens.
How Waterspouts are Forecasted
Meteorologists assess factors like water temperature, air temperature, moisture and wind speed to determine the likelihood of waterspout formation. Fair-weather waterspouts typically develop when water temperatures are warm, the air above is cool and moist and winds are light. This creates ideal conditions for instability and upward motion. In contrast, tornadic waterspouts occur during severe weather events, often forming within strong thunderstorms.
When a waterspout is detected, the National Weather Service issues a Special Marine Warning to alert those on or near the water. If a waterspout is expected to move onshore, a Tornado Warning is issued for the affected land area.
Safety
Since fair-weather waterspouts can occur at any time during the summer, keeping an eye on the sky is a good safety habit. They are often associated with cumulus clouds, especially those with a dark, flat base. Tornadic waterspouts, on the other hand, occur during severe weather events.
If you spot a waterspout, never head toward it. Treat it like a tornado: move away at a 90-degree angle from its path. Waterspouts can be unpredictable and dangerous, even on otherwise calm days.
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