Waterspout Spotted In Tampa

Tampa, FL — Just because severe conditions aren’t in the forecast doesn’t mean Tampa Bay area storms can’t kick up a little trouble.

Such was the case Thursday afternoon when a waterspout formed in the South Tampa area. The spout was visible from downtown and was also noticed by drivers on the Howard Frankland Bridge.

The National Weather Service had no hazardous weather warnings in its forecast for Thursday, but it does say there’s a 30 percent chance for scattered thunderstorms in Tampa throughout the afternoon. Those chances dwindle to about 10 percent heading into the overnight hours. Friday brings a 40 percent chance for scattered thunderstorms.

Waterspouts are “pretty common, especially in the summertime,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Garcia said in a previous interview. “They’re one of the contributors to our high tornado density.”

Garcia explained that Florida technically has the highest density of tornado activity of any state due in large part to the number of waterspouts that kick up over its waters.

“The good news with waterspouts is they tend to be weak,” Garcia said.

So far, no reports of injury or damage have been associated with Thursday’s waterspout.

About Florida’s Tornadoes

Florida tends to see the formation of four different types of tornadoes. They include:

• Waterspouts – These generally stay over water, but came sometimes move onto land. Typically, they are rather weak, but that’s not always the case
• Supercell tornadoes – These typically form in the wintertime and are similar to the larger storms that the Midwest is known for
• Mini-supercells – These storms go along with hurricanes and thunderstorms and can create quite a bit of damage
• Small line – When these storms form, they are typically weak and short lived

By far, Garcia said, waterspouts are the most common.

“If we have 10 reports (of tornados), eight to nine of them are going to be related to waterspouts.”

Photo of the waterspout over the Howard Frankland Bridge by Will Vragovic/Tampa Bay Times