Port Macquarie water spout awes onlookers

An impressive giant water spout off the NSW Mid-North Coast has provided a spectacular end to school holidays for a mother and her two children, as experts break down the facts about the “mini” tornadoes at sea.

An impressive giant water spout off the NSW Mid-North Coast has provided a spectacular end to school holidays for a mother and her two children as experts break down the facts over the bizarre phenomenon.

Lou Boag and her two children were in their car on Hill Street in Port Macquarie at about 1.15pm on Monday when they saw the massive dark column of swirling water rising out of the ocean.

“We just looked up and it was basically straight ahead,” Ms Boag.

The family raced to Rocky Beach to have a closer look.

“When we first spotted it from a little way off it looked much bigger that’s why it caught our eye,” Ms Boag said.

The water spout off the NSW Mid-North Coast. Picture: Facebook.

“It was obviously closer to the coastline but by the time we got up to top of the hill, navigated the traffic and got a carpark it had got a little further out.”

The water spout dispersed around 1.30pm.

Ms Boag said her son Jack, aged nine, and daughter Molly, aged eight, were very excited to see the awe-inspiring phenomena along with a number of others who had rushed to the beach to observe and take photos.

“It was quite amazing, it’s something you just don’t see” Ms Boag said.

“It’s nice to be able to share it with others.”

(Front to back) Lou, Jack, Molly and Pete Boag. Pic: Supplied.

Ms Boag, who works as a hairdresser in Bonny Hills, said she was enjoying her regular Monday off and having one last day out in town “with the kiddies before they have to go back to school” on Tuesday.

“It was a nice way to end the holidays,” she said.

Bureau of Meteorology Sydney office Meteorologist Jiwon Park said water spouts were “certainly an eye-catcher”.

They are caused by atmospheric instability combined airstreams from different directions converging together or thunderstorms.

Water spouts are similar to tornadoes but tended to be less powerful and shorter lived than their land equivalent.

“It’s not treated as high impact weather unless it hits the land,” Mr Park said.

“By the look of this it doesn’t seem to be a high impact phenomenon at this stage given that it is remaining offshore.”

Experts say the phenomenon is like a “mini” tornado at sea, with less intensity than a land-based tornado but still enough power to cause concern for boaties. Picture: News Corp.

Mr Park said there was a rare instance in 2010 when a water spout made landfall Lennox Head in northern NSW and did significant damage, destroying several houses.

However, he warned boats should steer away from water spouts even though they were normally much less intense than a tornado.

Seeing a water spout offshore normally meant getting some rainfall.

“To give you some context yesterday we have seen quite a heavy rainfall between Ballina and the Byron Bay area,” Mr Park said.

Ballina Airport in northern NSW reported 90mm and nearby Lake Ainsworth got 170mm from a slow-moving thunderstorm.

“Atmospheric instabilities are still over the coastal areas and whether it is cold showers or thunderstorms and some local convergence of low level winds,” Mr Park said.

“When all these things are aligned you get some interesting weather phenomena.”

Originally published as Port Macquarie water spout awes onlookers