A waterspout is most frequent in tropical regions. It is a vortex that occurs on the surface of the water, occurring at sea or over inland water. Waterspouts form at the base of cumulus-type clouds and extend to the surface of the water where it picks up ocean spray.

Waterspouts are not tornadoes, though many believe them to be. They are not generally pendant from thunderstorms, and as such, are formed by different physical mechanisms. Waterspouts can look similar to tornadoes, but they are generally substantially less destructive. Most are not that powerful, and last usually 10-15 minutes. They can be extremely dangerous, though, not only to ships, but planes. It has been theorized by some that they are responsible for some or many disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle, an area where waterspouts are frequent.

Bear in mind that tornadoes that do form over water, i.e., that are pendant from thunderstorms, are generally much more destructive and dangerous than waterspouts. Regardless of the occurrence of either a waterspout or a true tornado over water, both can be quite large. Fair-weather spouts are not usually a threat, though they can cause boaters trouble. They are almost always vertical. Tornados over water are usually quite dangerous, posing threats to ships, planes, and swimmers. It is recommended to keep a considerable distance from either of these phenomena, and to always be on alert through weather reports.

Though they mostly occur in the tropics, they can seasonally appear in temperate areas. They are more frequent within 100 kilometers (62 miles) from the coast than out in the open sea.

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• A series of pictures from a boat getting impressively close to a waterspout.