Image: Denzil Henry

East Coast Radio writes: A listener from Anstey’s on Durban’s Bluff sent in this photo taken at about 10.30am. We’d like your expertise. Is it a water spout or something else?

SAWDIS: East Coast Radio this is a waterspout. A waterspout is an intense columnar vortex (usually appearing as a funnel-shaped cloud) that occurs over a body of water and is connected to a cumuliform cloud. In the common form, it is a non-supercell tornado over water. Waterspouts do not suck up water. The water seen in the main funnel cloud is actually water droplets formed by condensation. Waterspouts have a five-part life cycle formation of a dark spot on the water surface, spiral pattern on the water surface, formation of a spray ring, development of the visible condensation funnel, and ultimately decay. The observation of this waterspout co-inside with thunderstorms that occurred in the area this morning.

Congratulations to Denzil Henry for observing this waterspout. A rare event but not uncommon in South Africa. 

Link supplied by Ross Murray. Thanks Ross.