A waterspout formed in Ocean Springs. What is it and how is it different from a tornado?

Among the weather plights that can strike the Mississippi Coast are tornadoes and waterspouts.

The primary difference between a tornado and a waterspout is a tornado forms over land, whereas a waterspout forms over water.

According to the National Weather Service, waterspouts are broken into two categories, fair weather waterspouts and Tornadic Waterspouts.

Tornadic waterspouts are exactly what they sound like, tornadoes that form over water. They are accompanied by strong winds, large hail and frequent lightning, the NWS says.

A fair weather waterspout forms “along the dark flat base of a line of developing cumulus clouds.” Less dangerous, they do not come with thunderstorms generally and don’t move much.

When a waterspout moves over land, the NWS sends out a tornado warning as they can be dangerous.

A waterspout over East Beach in Ocean Springs dissipated quickly Monday when it made landfall.