Waterspouts in the Great Lakes This Weekend, Including Near Chicago

Chris Dolce
Published: September 14,2015
Multiple waterspouts and funnel clouds were spotted over the waters of the Great Lakes this weekend as a pleasant fall air mass swept into the region.
Some of the most well documented waterspout reports came from the Lake Michigan waters adjacent to Chicago. The waterspouts occurred over several hours Saturday morning, from northwest Indiana to near Chicago and extreme northeast Illinois, according to National Weather Service reports. North of Chicago in Waukegan, an observer stated that they saw at least six funnels in 20 minutes.
(MORE: Science Behind Waterspouts)
Most waterspouts stay over water and are only a hazard to marine interests. However, occasionally they can come onshore and cause minor damage. This was the case near Vermilion, Ohio, on Saturday, where a waterspout caused some minor damage to the roof of a building, according to WTVG.
Late summer and early fall is the most common time for waterspouts on the Great Lakes.
Water temperatures across the lakes are relatively mild thanks to the warmth of summer, while intrusions of cool air from Canada become more common. This provides the needed instability for the formation of waterspouts.
Anticipating the formation of waterspouts this weekend, the National Weather Service in Chicago provided this explainer on how they form.

(National Weather Service - Chicago)