Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2020 May 17

                           A Waterspout in Florida
                     Image Credit & Copyright: Joey Mole

   Explanation: What's happening over the water? Pictured here is one of
   the better images yet recorded of a waterspout, a type of tornado that
   occurs over water. Waterspouts are spinning columns of rising moist air
   that typically form over warm water. Waterspouts can be as dangerous as
   tornadoes and can feature wind speeds over 200 kilometers per hour.
   Some waterspouts form away from thunderstorms and even during
   relatively fair weather. Waterspouts may be relatively transparent and
   initially visible only by an unusual pattern they create on the water.
   The featured image was taken in 2013 July near Tampa Bay, Florida. The
   Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida is arguably the most active
   area in the world for waterspouts, with hundreds forming each year.

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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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