(WWJ) There was an outbreak of waterspouts reported on the Great Lakes over the weekend, and forecasters are calling for more to come.
The International Centre For Waterspout Research says there were at least 25 waterspouts confirmed as of Sunday, and that more are expected in the Great Lakes through midday this Wednesday (Aug. 27).
The ICWR, which is based in Toronto, released a video forecast for Monday and Tuesday, showing where the waterspouts are likely to occur.
Great Lakes Waterspout Forecast
You can see photos of the Great Lakes waterspouts posted to Facebook here.
What is a waterspout?
While some people may confuse a waterspout with a tornado, they're different phenomena — while what they have in common is the potentially dangerous, high-speed rotation.
According to the National Weather Service, a waterspout is an "intense columnar vortex that occurs over a body of water." They're connected to a cloud, always occur over water, and can be very dangerous to boaters.
While they can look just as scary, waterspouts are generally weaker than tornadoes and usually dissipate when they reach land. If a waterspout does move onshore, the NWS issues a tornado warning, as some of them can cause significant damage.
So, why the recent outbreak? MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa explained says fall may be the prime time to see them, when conditions are just right.
“The perfect set-up for multiple waterspouts is a very cool blast of air from the northwest, a cold front and an upper-level low pressure system. Each of these ingredients has their own special part in forming a waterspout," Torregrossa said.
While NWS does not keep count of waterspouts, the ICWR does, and encourages the public to report them here.
Learn more about waterspouts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at this link.