Community Corner

'Wet Tornados' More Common Than You Think

Florida actually is a hot spot for water spouts, with the Florida Keys experiencing 500 a year.

A recent spate of water spouts in the waters off Pinellas County, Florida, has  surprised many locals, who are taking cell phone photos and videos of the weather phenomena. (See some of those photos with this article.)

But water spouts actually are a common occurrence in the Sunshine State, reports NBC News.

"Florida is a magnet for these wet tornados," according to an NBC news reports.

Find out what's happening in Clearwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Florida Keys ranks as the No. 1 location in the U.S. for water spouts, with as many as 500 per year. 

No. 2 is the area of Homestead (just north of the Keys) to Stuart, on Florida's east coast.

Find out what's happening in Clearwaterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

NOAA senior scientist Joseph Golden told USA TODAY that if boaters ever  observe a water spout forming in the distance, they should drive at right angles away from the funnel cloud. If that's not possible, he said it might be better to dive overboard and swim underwater than to be caught in the flying debris of a "wet tornado."

"If you dive before one hits, I think you'll be OK," Golden told USA TODAY.

Check out some of the recent photos of "wet tornados" in the Tampa Bay area.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here