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Water spouts

A waterspout is actually a tornado, but one that forms over water (usually over the sea). You can see the funnel of twisting air coming down from the cloud, and below it, the water is being sucked up from the surface.

The funnel you see is mostly air, and only the bottom section is formed of flying drops of water.

You will occasionally see a waterspout over a lake, or at a beach. Often the funnel of air coming down from the cloud does not quite touch the ground (just like other tornadoes), but when it does it will start to suck up water.

Many people are killed with tornadoes, but very very few with waterspouts. Why do you think that is?

This little Quicktime movie shows what happens with a waterspout.

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