Marathon, Florida Waterspout
August 18, 2009
Photographer: Bill Burton
Summary Author: Bill Burton
Though this funnel looks positively terrifying, local residents in Marathon, Florida didn't seem overly disturbed by the proximity of this approaching waterspout. Waterspouts aren’t at all uncommon in the Florida Keys during the summertime. Though they’re, in general, much weaker than tornadoes, winds can be in excess of 85 mph (136 km/h). They most always form over open, warm water but usually dissipate upon reaching land. The close-up, at right, shows the delicate internal structure of this spout, including what appears to be a thin central vortex within the main funnel cloud. Water could be seen spiraling upward on the outside of the funnel cloud. Photo taken on July 25, 2009.
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