There were several waterspouts off the Gulf of Mexico near Alabama on Wednesday morning, it was reported.
On Twitter, several users posted photos of the waterspouts. There were two over Orange Beach, said Instagram user Eric Bordlee.
According to Al.com, the National Weather Service issued a notice on Wednesday morning that there would be favorable conditions for waterspouts.
A spokesperson with the agency, Don Shepherd, told the website that waterspouts are not tornadoes over water.
“A waterspout is not a tornado over water. We get tornadoes over water and they are much more dangerous. A waterspout, while they look like a tornado, are completely different,” Shepherd said.
Waterspouts, he added, are not as dangerous as tornadoes. “They could do a little bit of damage if they moved to shore, damage to chairs, awnings and other loose structures, but true waterspouts dissipate quickly after moving on land,” Shepherd said.
On its Twitter feed, AccuWeather wrote: “Emergency manager reports water spout SE of Mobile, AL, in Baldwin county.”
Friends Read Free