JUST IN - Spectacular footage captures five waterspouts forming off the coast of Italy

JUST IN - Spectacular footage captures five waterspouts forming off the coast of Italy

Five towering waterspouts were captured off the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy — a rare and dramatic display of nature’s power

This extraordinary footage captures the simultaneous birth of multiple waterspouts, a breathtaking reminder of the ocean's ever-present power and the atmospheric forces at play. These are true storms of the sea, not myths—dynamic, mesmerizing, and potent.

These vortices formed rapidly over the sea during thunderstorms before some drifted toward the cliff-lined shoreline, creating an almost surreal spectacle

A waterspout is a rotating column of air and water that extends from a cloud to the sea. They form similarly to tornadoes but typically over warm, humid coastal or open water regions
There are two types:

Fair-weather waterspouts, driven by rising humid air and generally weaker.

Tornadic waterspouts, built within severe thunderstorms and capable of strong winds and damage

Though more common in tropical seas, waterspouts do appear in the Mediterranean, particularly off Italy, with about 25 occurrences annually across European
Italy's coast experiences both fair-weather spouts and occasionally powerful tornadic versions, driven by unstable conditions and warm sea surface temperatures, which can fuel intense storms