Dan Reilly, warning coordination meteorologist for the NWS Houston-Galveston, said such warnings are issued based on phone call reports and, in some cases, webcams. Recently there has been an uptick in waterspouts in the area due to favorable conditions. This includes warm water temperatures, low-level moisture, and convective instability, Reilly said. "Also relatively light winds and low vertical wind shear, presence of convergence boundaries (like land or sea breezes)," he added.
Since it is not uncommon for numerous waterspouts to occur simultaneously over a large area, marine warnings tend to cover larger geographic areas than land-based tornado warnings, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ). Saltwater Recon captured the massive spinning column of air and water mist in the distance from a camera installed on Jamaica Beach.
On Monday, the tornado-like phenomenon was also sighted off the west end of Galveston. While waterspouts are not uncommon in the area, some witnesses said it was the largest they had ever observed. Bill Hand, a local resident who also observed Monday's waterspout, captured a photo of Wednesday's event. He said the waterspout lasted for 15 minutes. Victor Florez spotted it from homes just south of Terramar Beach.
Sometimes waterspouts can make landfall. However, they are mostly much weaker than tornadoes, produce little to no damage, and dissipate quickly, according to the NOAA. The agency said the best way to avoid them is to move at a 90-degree angle to its apparent movement.
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