Waterspout hits people on the beach

[Andrea Griffa]

Hi all
I just wanted to share with you a nice video I found on the tube about an Egyptian waterspout hitting the people on a beach. I wouldn't rule out injuried.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMhRQZHlMdM&feature=player_embedded

 

[rdale]

With the cell going on in the background, I think this is a tornado and not a waterspout.

 

[Martin Kucera]

Not this crap again! It is a waterspout, and a tornado, and a tornado over water. And maybe a tornadic waterspout or a non-supercell tornado over water!

 

[rdale]

Having seen many waterspouts, that isn't a waterspout... Nice video regardless. Great reactions by those beach-goers, guess they could use an outdoor warning siren

 

[Jeff Duda]

What do you mean that's not a waterspout? Check the AMS glossary:

1. In general, any tornado over a body of water. 2. In its most common form, a nonsupercell tornado over water.

I agree that by the looks of the video it may have been mesocyclonic in origin, but as long as it is over water, it is a waterspout. It became a tornado when it arrived on shore.

 

[rdale]

What do you mean that's not a waterspout? Check the AMS glossary

Sorry, I was speaking operationally. Not too many of us refer to the AMS before using terms.

Most "operational" mets consider waterspouts that form in November over the Great Lakes to be different than a mesocyclone tornado in an April supercell.

Feel free to speak "academically" - but around this forum, ops beats ivory-towers

 

[Greg Stumpf]

The AMS Glossary definition might be official...to the AMS. But many scientists agree with Rob. It doesn't matter what comprises the surface that the bottom of the vortex interacts with - land, water, pavement, oil, jello - the vortex is best described by the dynamical processes that caused it. In this case, it appears to be a mesocyclone/supercell tornado. Nothing about the atmospheric vortex changes *at all* when it moves from water to land, thus the name of the vortex should also not change.

 

[Jason Foster]

Cool video.

Parts of the argument starting to sound elites. I think (on this board included), no one should be that anal about the whole water spout issue. I agree...but careless if someone posts it either way....esp. for a YT video.

 

[rdale]

Parts of the argument starting to sound elites. I think (on this board included), no one should be that anal

I don't think Jeff's post was "elite-est" or anal in any fashion. Some people live and die by the AMS, and that's fine. But this forum is for experienced chasers and meteorologists, and most in that category do differentiate between a Great Lakes waterspout and a Great Plains wedge.

 

[Jason Harris]

Interesting seeing that metallic debris while it's still over the water. Also, seems like the majority of people on that beach didn't find the approaching funnel a matter of much concern. Once it hit the beach a few started to wake up to the semi-sand blasting.

 

[Jason Foster]

I don't think Jeff's post was "elite-est" or anal in any fashion. Some people live and die by the AMS, and that's fine. But this forum is for experienced chasers and meteorologists, and most in that category do differentiate between a Great Lakes waterspout and a Great Plains wedge.

Starting to....as someone posted...it's been discussed here already. Yeah...I kinda came off as a prick there. I hate my posting style sometimes.

 

[Dann Cianca]

I only see a couple shots of the base during the video and can't see any evidence that shows this tornado is mesocyclonic aside from the fact that the surface circulation was moving. Still, that doesn't necessarily prove it.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

I only see a couple shots of the base during the video and can't see any evidence that shows this tornado is mesocyclonic aside from the fact that the surface circulation was moving. Still, that doesn't necessarily prove it.

I agree, I'm not convinced at all this is a "tornadic" (mesocylonic) waterspout, first of all I don't see any signs of meso or wall cloud or RFD or RFDnotch and so on; second, I saw hundreds of waterspout like this in Italy non completely condensed coming from "flat" dark base impacting against the beach and dying after 5 minutes. To me we don't have sufficient elements to rate.

However the interesting thing is the reaction of the people who don't care till the last second.

 

[Simon Andersen]

I... can't see any evidence that shows this tornado is mesocyclonic aside from the fact that the surface circulation was moving.

Can you clarify this sentence? Are you saying that miso vortices don't move? I'm not saying this in jest

 

[Bob Hartig]

Rob, why do you believe the circulation is linked to a mesocyclone? Going by telltale storm features, or the lack thereof, I don't see any conclusive evidence one way or the other. I wish the video showed more in the way of structure. As the camera pans out, I see what might be a clear slot, but there's nothing else going on visually that could confirm it as such. So I'm curious why you're certain that the circulation is tornadic.