Waterspout
Topic: Air Masses, Fronts, Cyclones and Thunderstorms · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 9 "Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems"
Meaning
A waterspout is a tornado that forms over a sea or a lake. It is a spinning column of air that reaches down from a cloud to the water's surface. The funnel can be seen because it is full of cloud droplets and spray. Waterspouts are usually weaker than tornadoes over land. They are still dangerous to boats and to people near the shore.
Example
Waterspouts are often seen over the warm, shallow waters around the Florida Keys, off the southern tip of Florida in the United States.
Don't confuse with
- Tornado: a tornado forms over land and is usually much stronger. A waterspout is the same kind of spinning funnel, but over water, and it is usually weaker.