CLEARWATER, Fla. — The 10 Tampa Bay weather camera in Clearwater Beach captured a waterspout that came ashore as a brief landspout Wednesday morning.
With rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected to roll through the area today, it's not completely out of the question that another waterspout or two could develop.
The camera, stationed on top of the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach hotel and facing off to the northwest, spotted the thin funnel descended from the cloud base. Although it's hard to make out, the feature made contact with the water's surface — some spray is seen from under the funnel.
The video attached to this story is sped up.
When the funnel hits the surface as this did, it's considered a waterspout. If the waterspout moves onto land, it's called a tornado. Although dust and debris were seen lofted into the air on the shoreline, the National Weather Service said it wasn't technically a tornado because the funnel had already dissipated. Instead, it's called a landspout.
Waterspouts are a relatively common occurrence in Florida, especially from late spring to early fall during the stormy season, according to the weather service.
Early Tuesday morning, "a biggin'" was seen over the Gulf. The large waterspout in Destin was tracked moving parallel along the coast.
"Alright guys, good morning," Boo Freeman said in his Instagram video. "Look at that dude. That's a biggin." He told 10 Tampa Bay, "I prayed it did not hit my beach with all my equipment!"
There are two types of waterspouts, according to NOAA. One is a fair-weather waterspout, which someone might see hanging off a cloud on an otherwise partly cloudy day. Another is a tornadic waterspout, which is similar to land tornadoes.