Waterspout Season in Full Swing

By: Becky Kellogg

Published: July 31,2013

 

 

 

 

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iWitness weather user kellyknight2 said her son posted for this pic after getting off his work boat June, 19, 2013 in Grand Isle, La.

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A recent spate of waterspouts from Florida to the Great Lakes has some wondering if waterspout season is here.

The International Centre for Waterspout Research, an organization that tracks waterspouts worldwide, confirmed 21 waterspouts or funnels on the Great Lakes Tuesday, July 30, 2013.  On their Facebook page, they referred to it as a rare July waterspout outbreak for the Great Lakes.
"Late July is not a typical time of year to see Great Lakes waterspouts, given it's nearly the hottest time of the year," said weather.com Senior Meteorologist Jon Erdman.  "You need relatively cool air over a warm lake."

The Weather Channel's Winter Weather Expert Tom Niziol says the Great Lakes waterspouts formed because of the temperature difference between the warmer lake waters and the colder air moving across the lakes.
Waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water.  They are generally weak, according to The Weather Channel's Severe Weather Expert Dr. Greg Forbes.  He says some waterspouts have winds in excess of 100 m.p.h. and are hazards to boaters or anyone else on the water.  Once the waterspouts hit land they are called tornadoes.

While it's rare to see so many waterspouts on the Great Lakes in the span of a few days in mid-summer, it's not uncommon in other regions of the country.
Waterspouts are actually quite common in the summer along the Southeast coast, Gulf Coast, and Florida, in particular.  In Tampa, two waterspouts were caught in photos and video in July 2013.  On July 9, a waterspout moved ashore in the Tampa Bay area causing minor damage to a home before it dissipated.     
"The Florida Keys are, perhaps, the waterspout capital of the world," said Erdman.  "Waterspouts are also frequently seen along the Mediterranean Sea."
On July 30, 2013 a line of thunderstorms spawned a waterspout in Tampa Bay near Gandy Bridge.  The waterspout was over the water for about 15 minutes before weakening and dissipating.