Six waterspouts seen on Lake Erie as Great Lakes outbreak continues

A rare cluster of six waterspouts appeared simultaneously over Lake Erie off Long Point, Ontario, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, part of a larger outbreak of waterspouts sweeping the Great Lakes that forecasters say is likely to continue through Friday, Oct. 24. The International Centre for Waterspout Research recorded video of the six funnels and reported at least eight waterspouts on Lake Erie that day.

Meteorologists say the outbreak is driven by an influx of cold air passing over comparatively warm lake waters, a setup that is common in late summer and early fall when surface temperatures remain elevated. MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa described the typical ingredients for multiple waterspouts as a cool northwest air mass, a cold front and an upper level low pressure system. When cold air several thousand feet above the surface moves over warmer water, the resulting temperature contrast creates instability that can allow rotation to develop into waterspouts.

Federal agencies caution that waterspouts, while visually striking, can be hazardous. "Like many forces in nature, waterspouts can be both beautiful and dangerous," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration...