A waterspout is a rotating column of air that occurs over a body of water, usually appearing as a funnel-shaped cloud in contact with the water and a cumuliform cloud. [1][2] There are two …

Waterspout, a small-diameter column of rapidly swirling air in contact with a water surface. Waterspouts are almost always produced by a swiftly growing cumulus cloud.

Oct 19, 2023 · A waterspout is a column of rotating, cloud-filled wind. A waterspout descends from a cumulus cloud to an ocean or a lake.

These eerie columns of rotating air are known as waterspouts — commonly defined as tornadoes over water. Waterspouts usually develop over warm tropical ocean waters. They're spotted in …

Waterspout formation typically occurs when cold air moves across the Great Lakes and results in large temperature differences between the warm water and the overriding cold air.

Jan 3, 2026 · Tornado vs waterspout differences explained, plus dust devil vs tornado comparisons, outlining how vortex types form, behave, and pose risks.

May 6, 2021 · A waterspout is a spinning column of air that sucks up water (usually from the ocean) to make a twisting funnel of water and cloud connecting the sea and the sky. They are …

A waterspout is a rotating column of air over water that is connected to a cumulus cloud. They are similar to tornadoes, but they form over water instead of land.

Jul 2, 2025 · Fair weather waterspouts form from the surface of the water up toward the cloud. They can form in either fair weather or during a typical thunderstorm. They often fizzle out …

Aug 23, 2024 · What actually is a waterspout? A waterspout is a column of rotating air that forms over a body of water, typically extending from a cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud down to the …