ClimateAugust 21, 2026

waterspout

WAH-ter-spowt

Definition

A rotating column of air, similar to a tornado, that forms over a body of water and can move inland, causing significant damage.

Etymology

The word is a compound formed in the 17th century from the words 'water' and 'spout,' referring to the appearance of a column of water being drawn upward or spraying outward.

In the news

A waterspout is mentioned as a specific severe weather event that moved ashore in Nassau County, New York, destroying cabanas and buildings at a beach club.

Storms batter Mid-Atlantic, sparking several tornadoes and widespread flash flooding

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KVIA

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