Q: Is a water spout the same thing as a hurricane?

A: No, water spouts more closely resemble tornadoes,but are usually on a smaller scale and can form anywhere there are strong enough winds over the water. Water spouts are funnel -shaped vortices of water associated with extremely low atmospheric pressure. The low pressure causes air and water to spiral rapidly inward and upward, producing a spectacular funnel that extends from the ocean surface to the clouds.

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