A waterspout was spotted over Lake Superior between Lutsen and Tofte. But what are they and how do they form?
Jun 20, 2024 09:25AM ● By Content Editor
Photo: Still taken from the waterspout video by Connie Kirvida-Lehr.
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - June 20, 2024
The severe weather that hit Cook County and the rest of Northern Minnesota on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, produced heavy rain, frequent lightning, a confirmed tornado in Cotton, MN, and a waterspout over Lake Superior between Tofte and Lutsen.
Cook County community member Connie Kirvida-Lehr captured the waterspout on video, and for many, that was the first time they had seen such a phenomenon.
But what exactly are waterspouts, and how do they form?
Boreal Community Media reached out to the National Weather Service in Duluth to learn more.
Simply put, the definition of a waterspout is a whirling column of air and water mist.
There are two different types of waterspouts: fair weather and tornadic.
Tornadic waterspouts, like the one captured by Kirvida-Lehr, are exactly as they sound: tornados that form over water, or that begin on land and move over water. These waterspouts are associated with and develop in severe thunderstorms, and develop downward from cloud to surface.
While there are still lots of unknowns when it comes to tornado formation, the basic understanding is that tornados are formed within a supercell, which is a rotating thunderstorm. There is a rotating section visible via radar within the supercell that's called the mesocyclone. According to the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, "Recent theories and results from the VORTEX2 program suggest that once a mesocyclone is underway, tornado development is related to the temperature differences across the edge of downdraft air wrapping around the mesocyclone."
Tornadic waterspouts have the same characteristics as land tornados and can cause significant damage or injuries to people, especially if they move onto land. If that is the case, the National Weather Service will issue a Tornado Warning.
Cory Rothstein, a Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, told Boreal Community Media that in the case of the waterspout produced during the severe storms on June 18, 2024, "We already submitted a storm report regarding the likely Waterspout three miles ENE of Tofte at approximately 5:30 PM: Webcam and a separate public cell phone video of what is likely a brief waterspout near Tofte on Lake Superior. Time and location estimated."
To learn more about fair weather waterspouts, visit the NOAA site here.
The video of the waterspout can be found below or by clicking here. A huge thanks to Connie Kirvida-Lehr for sharing it with Boreal Community Media.
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - June 20, 2024
The severe weather that hit Cook County and the rest of Northern Minnesota on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, produced heavy rain, frequent lightning, a confirmed tornado in Cotton, MN, and a waterspout over Lake Superior between Tofte and Lutsen.
Cook County community member Connie Kirvida-Lehr captured the waterspout on video, and for many, that was the first time they had seen such a phenomenon.
But what exactly are waterspouts, and how do they form?
Boreal Community Media reached out to the National Weather Service in Duluth to learn more.
Simply put, the definition of a waterspout is a whirling column of air and water mist.
There are two different types of waterspouts: fair weather and tornadic.
Tornadic waterspouts, like the one captured by Kirvida-Lehr, are exactly as they sound: tornados that form over water, or that begin on land and move over water. These waterspouts are associated with and develop in severe thunderstorms, and develop downward from cloud to surface.
While there are still lots of unknowns when it comes to tornado formation, the basic understanding is that tornados are formed within a supercell, which is a rotating thunderstorm. There is a rotating section visible via radar within the supercell that's called the mesocyclone. According to the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory, "Recent theories and results from the VORTEX2 program suggest that once a mesocyclone is underway, tornado development is related to the temperature differences across the edge of downdraft air wrapping around the mesocyclone."
Tornadic waterspouts have the same characteristics as land tornados and can cause significant damage or injuries to people, especially if they move onto land. If that is the case, the National Weather Service will issue a Tornado Warning.
Cory Rothstein, a Meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth, told Boreal Community Media that in the case of the waterspout produced during the severe storms on June 18, 2024, "We already submitted a storm report regarding the likely Waterspout three miles ENE of Tofte at approximately 5:30 PM: Webcam and a separate public cell phone video of what is likely a brief waterspout near Tofte on Lake Superior. Time and location estimated."
To learn more about fair weather waterspouts, visit the NOAA site here.
The video of the waterspout can be found below or by clicking here. A huge thanks to Connie Kirvida-Lehr for sharing it with Boreal Community Media.
