Lake Michigan waterspouts possible Wednesday

Conditions are looking more favorable for waterspouts to develop over lake Michigan on Wednesday.  Cold air aloft will continue to move across the Great Lakes tomorrow.  Warmer lake temperatures in the lower 70s will be conducive for isolated waterspouts during the afternoon.

Waterspouts occur most frequently over Lake Michigan during the months of August, September, and October, when the waters of the Great Lakes are near their warmest levels of the year. Waterspout formation typically occurs when cold air moves across the Great Lakes and results in large temperature differences between the warm water and the overriding cold air. They tend to last from about two to twenty minutes, and move along at speeds of 10 to 15 knots.

Scattered showers are forecast to develop over the lake on Wednesday.  Those areas will need to be watched closely for possible development.  These isolated waterspouts will stay out over the lake and not pose a threat to the land.