Watch this fantastic chosen and really easy to understand Water Tornado simple science for kids video:
Water Tornado Facts
A water tornado can be defined as a smaller version of hurricane formed over the sea, ocean surface or any other water body. They are quite common and mostly non-destructive. It is more like a narrow tornado that ranges a few feet in width. A vertical wind sheer which is a wind force that changes direction as it goes higher is believed to be the reason why these water tornadoes are formed. This force forms a vertical funnel which is called water spout. These waterspouts can be of two different types tornadic and non-tornadic.
Quick Facts: –
- Tornadic waterspout resembles its land counterpart in terms of its formation and destruction capacity.
- They are generally associated with severe thunderstorms and accompanied by high winds.
- Non-tornadic waterspouts can form when the weather is good and also known as ‘Fairweather waterspouts’.
- They usually form along the dark flat base of developing cumulus clouds.
- A water tornado can occur at any place all over the coastal regions of the world.
- It was once believed that the revolving mass of a waterspout is seawater but actually it is a spray of cloud water.
- The average speed of a water tornado and its associated winds is about 50 miles per hour.
- There are times when water tornadoes can transcend over to land and turn into a proper tornado.
- Water tornadoes create an entrancing sight by combining the swirling power of a tornado with a large body of water.
- They are very unpredictable in nature so their accurate forecast would be a slim chance.