Peculiar Wave-action Associated with Waterspout Moving Onshore

[Simon Andersen]

Hey, I was enjoying this Youtube video of a waterspout moving onshore and then partially destroying a Tavernier Key, FL resort (of some sort, (sorry.))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkS0Sk1Qujk

Point of interest is from the 18th second mark onwards. I was puzzled to see a huge, long wave breaking, just as the vortex made landfall. What is your explanation for this feature? I've never seen this in records of vortices over water before, and to my knowledge, no researchers (Golden, Rossow) have mentioned it in their studies.

My own theory is that of wind-driven surge associated with the waterspouts gustfront, you can see debris in the spray vortex just as the wave breaks. To bad you can't discern if it extends beyond the right-front quadrant.

I'm very interested in your thoughts on this subject.

PS: Enjoy this amazing video of another waterspout, I had no idea the wake trail could be observed from the surface:

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oaz0hYTWJKM

 

[Paul Knightley]

This is interesting - there was a show on TV over here in the UK last night (Gethin Jones' Danger Hunters) where they filmed a spout from a plane over the Keys. This had 3 or 4 waves moving along with the spout.

 

[Simon Andersen]

Damn I have heard about that show, but I don't have DC where I live. My sister do, maybe I should start visiting her lol.

Several waves? Perhaps these were the wave train to the right of the funnel? The wave in my video appear to be a different phenomena, perhaps a wave on the gust-surge line.

Thanks for your thoughts Paul.

 

[David Draun]

The second video is insane! They pull a Reed Timmer on the thing by driving the boat around it several times, keeping it within a radius of just a few yards at one time! Definitely a "Kids, Don't try this at home!" moment. A stronger vortex would have made them shark bait.