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Water Spouts
Water spouts sometimes form in hurricanes, squalls, or thunderstorms, but they can also materialize on their own. Winds may exceed 125 miles per hour, giving them the capability to pick boats up high off the water’s surface. They often aren’t visible at first, except from aircraft.
They have occurred in many different places, but most commonly appear in the Florida Keys. Spouts have also popped up in California, Tampa Bay, and the Bermuda region. Even in areas with high temperatures year around, they typically happen during the summer.
Water spouts at sea seldom appear late at night or during the mid-morning, at least in the Florida Keys. One good way to maintain awareness about them is to use an NOAA Weather Radio, preferably with an alert siren feature. A warning will sound if spouts have been spotted or could soon appear.
Various weather conditions signal the potential for a water spout. Thunderstorms can spawn the strongest spouts, but they might also develop under rows of cumulus clouds. Spout-forming clouds usually have flat, dark bottoms and a slight breeze often accompanies them.
Boats and personal watercraft risk damage by water spouts, regardless of whether they are traveling at sea or docked in a marina. A spout isn’t likely to sink or otherwise destroy a large vessel (cargo ship, megayacht, etc) but it can still cause serious harm.
When boaters see one or more spouts, they should quickly travel at a ninety-degree angle to its path. If possible, avoid boating or return to port when the weather service issues tornado or thunderstorm warnings. Waterfront home owners and marinas should also take precautions.
Unlike tornadoes, water spouts can form on the water and rise upward, or start in the clouds and eventually reach the surface. Often the most dangerous type of spout forms in a thunderstorm’s clouds.
Last month a storm spawned four water spouts near Sunset Beach, CA. The L.A. Times reported that one damaged boats at a marina. Another spout was reported on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville last summer. After about forty minutes, it went on land and became a tornado, causing minor damage.
Water spouts have also occurred on the Great Lakes, usually during the late summer and early autumn. They were spotted on Lake Erie in 2006, 2004, and 2001. Four appeared simultaneously over Lake Huron in 1999. There have been several over Great Salt Lake in Utah as well.
Overall, tornadoes and water spouts hold many similarities, but also some noteworthy differences. They pose a danger to boaters and other people in or along the water, but taking the right precautions greatly reduces the risk.
SOURCES:
1. Encarta Encyclopedia 2005
2. NOAA Storm Prediction Center
3. National Weather Service, Miami
4. NWS Jacksonville, FL
5. USA Today
6. Los Angeles Times
7. NASA
Tags: boat safety, natural disasters, water spouts, weather