Florida Waterspouts: What You Need to Know

As Memorial Day beachgoers in Fort Lauderdale discovered, waterspouts can pose a real threat not only to those on the water, but also land.

Waterspouts are “pretty common, especially in the summertime,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Robert Garcia. “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.

But, that’s not always the case, he warned. “They can be a bit of a destructive force.”

With winds in the 30 to 60 mph range, waterspouts are very capable of destruction. On Monday, a bounce house set up along the beach in Fort Lauderdale was picked up into the air, tumbled and then deposited about 150 feet away. Three children were injured in the incident.

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.”

See Also:

• Video: 3 Children Injured When Waterspout Flips Bounce House
• Workweek Weather: What to Expect

How to Handle Encounters

The best advice, Garcia said, is for people to avoid tornadoes by keeping an eye on the weather and moving to a safe location should one form. They do tend to move erratically, so it’s important for people to be aware of the weather and the likelihood of severe storms.

Boaters, especially, need to keep an eye out for waterspouts and move to safe harbor should they develop.

Other tips from the National Weather Service for tornado safety include:

• Move to a safe room in a home if tornado activity is imminent; a small, windowless interior room or hallway on a building’s lowest level is the best with underground shelters not readily available in Florida
• Abandon mobile homes for sturdier shelter immediately
• Those caught outdoors should get to safety immediately

For other tips, visit the weather service online.

Other Threats

While tornadoes and waterspouts are rather common, they aren’t necessarily the biggest weather threat in Florida, Garcia pointed out. Lightning and rip currents are more consistent hazards.

Although lightning kills several people each year in Florida, people are desensitized to it since it’s such a common occurrence. Rip currents in coastal areas can’t necessarily be seen, so people don’t realize the danger, he added. Even so, both threats are high and warnings from forecasters and lifeguards should be taken seriously.

“Keep an eye on what’s going on,” he said.

To learn more about Florida’s hazardous weather, visit the National Weather Service online.

Photo of a recent rope waterspout over Lake Okeechobee used with permission from of StormVisuals.com.

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