Waterspouts spotted at the Belgian coast this week

Waterspouts have been spotted above the North Sea this week off the coast of Belgium, including De Panne. Waterspouts are rotating columns of air that form above water, similar to tornadoes but weaker and less destructive. 

“Waterspouts mainly occur in the late summer and early autumn at the Flemish coast,” explained VRT meteorologist Frank Deboosere on his website. “During this period, the seawater is warm, and the contrast between the temperatures of the water and the cold upper air is at its greatest.”

That temperature difference is the cause of the waterspouts and is also the reason why it often rains more intensely at the coast than inland in this period. Waterspouts often occur during rainy weather.

Although they are often shocking to tourists, waterspouts are not a rare phenomenon at the coast, said Deboosere. “You see a few every year. But you need to keep an eye out for them.”

While tornadoes can cause massive damage, waterspouts are less powerful. “Vessels normally will not have any problem because of them,” said Deboosere, “but surfers and sailboats should be extra careful in the presence of waterspouts.”

Waterspouts sometimes reach land, but in most cases quickly dissolve once they’re off the water. But they have been known to cause minor damage on the short to, for instance, beach cabins.

Photo: Three waterspouts in The Hague, the Netherlands
© Skatebiker / Wikimedia Commons 

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