Wild footage shows the moment Florida beachgoers are forced to flee as a massive waterspout swerves toward land, knocking a woman to the ground
- The waterspout touched down on Hollywood beach around 10:30am on Friday
- Live footage shows panicked beachgoers running for cover
- The wild weather moved over water two to three miles offshore before turning into a tornado and dissipating moments later
This is the terrifying moment Florida beachgoers were forced to run for cover as a powerful waterspout made its way to shore – knocking a woman over by its force.
The intense columnar vortex touched down on Hollywood Beach around 10:30 a.m. Friday as terrified beachgoers grabbed their belongings and scrambled to safety.
The savage weather moved over ocean waters two to three miles offshore before turning into a whirlwind — with high winds roaring through the area, ripping through palm trees and sweeping up chairs before finally dissipating.
A live broadcast by Sky10 captured footage of a bare-chested beachgoer in his swimming trunks running clutching his belongings while yelling, “Yo…!”. Others screamed frantically, “It’s coming to us.”
A person who witnessed the chaos told NBCMiami“I’ve never seen that before. I’ve been coming here since 1986. I’ve never seen that in my whole life.’
The waterspout, an intense columnar vortex, made landfall on Hollywood beach around 10:30 a.m. Friday as terrified beachgoers grabbed their belongings and ran for cover
A woman runs along the beach as the waterspout whips several feet behind her
The waterspout is seen moving rapidly across the water two to three miles offshore
Weather experts said the waterspout was connected to a cloud that spawned from a group of thunderstorms in the Atlantic Ocean.
While many beachgoers appeared shaken, no injuries were reported.
Once the weather passed, many sunbathers returned to the beach for some rest.
Hours earlier, a separate waterspout erupted along a Boca Raton beach around 9:30 a.m. on Friday, sending chairs and umbrellas flying near the Ocean Towers condominiums.
Boca Raton is about 29 miles away from Hollywood and a little further south.
Steve Weagle, Chief Meteorologist for WPTV first alert shared footage of the waterspout making landfall before it dried up again.
The waterspout was later confirmed as a tornado by the National Weather Service in Miami. A tornado warning was issued for Broward County, but it was later removed.
Waterspouts are common along the southeastern coast of the United States, especially off the coast of South Florida and the Keys. They can occur over seas, bays and lakes and generally do not absorb water to great heights.
The rapidly swirling air currents that come into contact with the water’s surface are usually caused by a fast-growing cumulus cloud, according to Britannica.
Waterspouts can take on a variety of shapes and often come in a sequence, known as a “waterspout family.” This updraft is similar to other atmospheric phenomena such as tornadoes, whirlwinds, and firestorms.