A mini tornado captured everyone’s attention yesterday. Although these are not unheard of in the area, they are uncommon.
Commonly known as a water spout, these large intense columns of water are created through a five-part life cycle:
- Formation of a dark spot on the water’s surface
- A spiral pattern emerges on the water’s surface
- The Formation of a spray ring
- The visible condensation funnel develops
- The water spout dies.
Water spouts are rarer than their on-land contemporaries and often weaker, as most do not suck up water but are just small rotating columns of air that appear over the sea.
Some of the largest water spouts have a diameter of up to 100 metres and can remain visible for up to an hour, although most only have a life span of 5-10 minutes.
They are also believed to be responsible for the rains of frogs and fish, while ancient mariners believed that the columns of water poured down from the heavens.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
Photo: JM
