Waterspouts!

WISN 

(Waterspout from Saturday)

If you recall from the last blog post, I wrote, "chances for waterspouts off the shore is not out of the question."  Well certainly as this picture shows, waterspouts formed over Lake Michigan on Saturday. From Milwaukee down to Chicago, many sightings of waterspouts were recorded from early morning until late afternoon.

NOAA

What is a waterspout? Is it a tornado? Is it the start of a hurricane? The common belief that waterspouts are just tornadoes over water is only somewhat true. Depending on how they form, waterspouts come in two different types; tornadic and fair weather.


Tornadic waterspouts have the same characteristics of a tornado that takes place over land. Severe thunderstorms create these type of waterspouts and are usually accompanied with large hail, lightning, and strong winds. These waterspouts can form over the water with the associated thunderstorm or move from land to water.


Fair weather waterspouts occur in none other than, 'fair weather'. They form in light wind conditions. Because the wind is so light, they rarely move over a large area. Climatology shows that these tend to form from late spring to early fall and occur in the early morning to late afternoon hours. 


So just how rare are waterspouts in Chicago? According to the National Weather Service in Romeoville(NWS Romeoville), only 13 waterspouts have been recorded across the Chicagoland coastal waters.

Here is a link of a great video taken of a waterspout just off the Milwaukee Shore:
Waterspouts form over Lake Michigan just off Milwaukee shore

Picture Link

And as safety is always a concern with severe weather phenomenon, the National Weather Service has written a couple things about waterspout safety:


Waterspout Safety

• Listen for special marine warnings about waterspout sightings that are broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio.
• Watch the sky for certain types of clouds. In the summer, with light winds, look for a possible waterspout underneath a line of cumulus clouds with dark, flat bases. Anytime of the year, a thunderstorm or line of thunderstorms, can produce very intense waterspouts.
• If a waterspout is sighted, immediately head at a 90 degree angle from the apparent motion of the waterspout.
• Never try to navigate through a waterspout. Although waterspouts are usually weaker than tornadoes, they can still produce significant damage to you and your boat.

~Meteorologist Heather Brinkmann