Great lakes Waterspouts

[rdale]

"The same thing for us in Italy "

I find it very hard to believe those are waterspouts... They really look like tornadoes over water.

 

[Jeff Snyder]

I say we only use the term waterspout to denote the 'fair-weather' waterspout that is not necessarily associated with a cumulonimbus updraft. The pics on the previous page are certainly more 'tornadoes over water' than fair-weather waterspouts. Much like the reason we don't use the term landspout to describe all land-based tornadoes.

 

[Kiel Ortega]

The Italian photos are awesome. Regardless of terminology, I'd be careful to that they are not true waterspouts (what does that mean anyway). From the AMS Glossary, a waterspout is just a tornado over water, regardless of the storm (or cloud) it came from. Commonly they are non-supercellular (from AMS Glossary), but regardless of origin they can get big. Specifically from the Italian photos--especially the first one, they aren't necessarily produced from supercells (as I think the previous 2 posters were implying). Note the flags in the first photo...blowing left to right. So either that is one powerful, anticyclonic tornado or it's a strong waterspout (i.e., not caused from a supercell) probably caused from frictional differences along the shore (note the land jutting out behind the spout...and are those people on the beach???!!! :shock: )

 

[Andrew Khan]

It's controversial, LOL. I have aproblem, see if waterspouts were ONLY called that, if they form out of a normal cumulus cloud, then what do you call an actual supercelluar tornado on water? A Tornadic Waterspout, or a tornado on water?

 

[rdale]

" tornado on water"

Same thing you would call a supercell tornado that passes over a pond...

 

[Andrew Khan]

Here is a question that I am wondering about, that is related to this. Does the vortex of a waterspout/'tornado over water' cause a vortex even into the water itself? Like cause actual rotation/vorticies in the water?

 

[Andrea Griffa]

Obviously they are tornadoes over water.But isn't a waterspout a tornado over water?
Anyway here in Italy we have an high number of real waterspouts over the sea,not strong like those but sometimes they're amazing.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

Originally posted by Kiel Ortega
The Italian photos are awesome. Regardless of terminology, I'd be careful to that they are not true waterspouts (what does that mean anyway). From the AMS Glossary, a waterspout is just a tornado over water, regardless of the storm (or cloud) it came from. Commonly they are non-supercellular (from AMS Glossary), but regardless of origin they can get big. Specifically from the Italian photos--especially the first one, they aren't necessarily produced from supercells (as I think the previous 2 posters were implying). Note the flags in the first photo...blowing left to right. So either that is one powerful, anticyclonic tornado or it's a strong waterspout (i.e., not caused from a supercell) probably caused from frictional differences along the shore (note the land jutting out behind the spout...and are those people on the beach???!!! :shock: )

However I agree with kiel: this is the definition of waterpouts:

What is a waterspout? A waterspout is a tornado over water -- usually meaning non-supercell tornadoes over water. Waterspouts are common along the southeast U.S. coast -- especially off southern Florida and the Keys -- and can happen over seas, bays and lakes worldwide. Although waterspouts are always tornadoes by definition; they don't officially count in tornado records unless they hit land. They are smaller and weaker than the most intense Great Plains tornadoes, but still can be quite dangerous. Waterspouts can overturn small boats, damage ships, do significant damage when hitting land, and kill people. The National Weather Service will often issue special marine warnings when waterspouts are likely or have been sighted over coastal waters, or tornado warnings when waterspouts can move onshore.

If this is the definition I can use the term "waterspouts" to define my "tornado over water" . Ok, it's true that usually they are caused by non supercell tornadoes, but "usually" doesn't mean "always".

After this it looks like that you could call'em both tornadoes over water and waterspouts.