NWS receives reports of waterspout over Lake Samish near Bellingham
Apr 19, 2022, 12:36 PM
A still of a reported waterspout over Lake Samish provided to KIRO 7 News.
The National Weather Service received reports of a waterspout over Lake Samish near Bellingham this week, and is asking the public for any additional information it might have.
The NWS believes that the waterspout occurred between 6:30 and 8 p.m. on Monday, April 18, confirmed by video evidence submitted by a resident of the area. The waterspout then “quickly dissipated as it came onshore.”
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“Video evidence indicated that the waterspout displaced two small boats and patio furniture along the shore, however no additional damage has been reported,” it noted.
As for why there was no prior warning, the NWS saw “no conclusive evidence based on the available radar data” ahead of time that would have indicated a tornado or waterspout was either on the way or actively occurring.
“Reports from the public did not arrive until well after the event, and so no warning was issued,” it clarified, noting that “small, brief, and weak tornados are very difficult to detect using radar.”
The primary difference between a waterspout and tornado relates to where they are formed — the latter over land, while the former gathers over bodies of water.
The NWS is asking that anyone with information about the waterspout contact its Seattle office at nws.seattle@noaa.gov, or (206) 526-6095.
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