When we talk about tornadoes, a type of extreme meteorological phenomenon with great destructive potential always comes to mind. One of its variants is the marine sleeve, also known as a waterspout. This is a meteorological phenomenon whose visible appearance resembles a rapidly rotating, funnel-shaped mass of clouds. It's similar to a conventional tornado, but it occurs on the surface of the sea.
In this article we are going to tell you what a marine sleeve is, how it is produced and what effects it has.
What is a marine sleeve
When severe atmospheric instability occurs and a tornado forms at sea level, we have what is known as a waterspout. This is an atmospheric phenomenon that can be identified as a rapidly rotating, funnel-shaped mass of clouds. This phenomenon descends from a cumulus cloud base to the sea surface and it is causing the rise of it to a certain height. For this reason, it is called the marine sleeve or waterspout.
By definition, a tornado is a meteorological phenomenon that occurs on land and generates devastating effects wherever it passes. In this case, when it passes over a surface of water, it is called a waterspout. A waterspout can also become a conventional tornado if it eventually hits land. Typically, when this happens, the tornado loses considerable intensity and eventually disappears. If we analyze a waterspout in terms of the negative consequences it can have on property or people, we should know that its impact is much less severe.
Unlike conventional tornadoes, a waterspout occurs at sea. This makes the potential risk of damage much lower. It can even affect some vessels navigating at sea or fishing vessels. In Spain, we often find this type of tornado. Extreme meteorological phenomena in the areas of Catalonia, the Valencian community, the Balearic Islands, the Canaries and in the eastern parts of the Cantabrian Sea. Although the intensity of these phenomena is not excessive, it is sufficient to pose a serious danger to both fishing and recreational vessels. To learn more about the intensity of these phenomena, you can read about the different types of tornadoes.
How a marine sleeve is formed
Numerous studies have investigated how a storm surge develops. The findings have revealed that these meteorological phenomena occur in five different phases. Let's analyze each phase and the origin of a storm surge:
- Phase 1: dark spotDuring this phase, a dark, almost black disk forms on the water's surface. The existence of this disk implies that there is a column of air above the surface. During this phase, a small, funnel-shaped cloud may or may not be present.
- Phase 2: spiral. During this phase, spiral bands form around the aforementioned black spot. These bands alternate with each other between lighter and darker colors.
- Phase 3: foam ring. Above the initial dark spot, a foam-like vortex will begin to form from the water stirred up by the wind. At the same time, the vertical development of the funnel cloud known as the tuba begins.
- Phase 4: maturity. The ring formed of foam and the tuba reach a maximum height and length with a greater diameter. It is here where we see the meteorological phenomenon in its maximum splendor.
- Phase 5: dissipation. This phase often occurs abruptly numerous times. This is due to the cessation of one or more of the conditions that keep the storm surge active. Rainfall that occurs close to this meteorological phenomenon frequently affects the storm surge, causing cold downdrafts to begin the dissipation of the phenomenon. Another type of dissipation is when the storm surge enters land and, due to the force of friction and the change in density, eventually weakens until it disappears.
Key features
We can say that no marine sleeve is exactly the same as another. It is true that it can be classified according to the intense or less intense activity of each one. In this way, they are classified as tornadic marine sleeves and non-tornadic marine sleeves. Each of the two types of marine outlets has its main characteristics. Let's analyze each of them.
A tornadic waterspout is a phenomenon whose formation mechanism is assumed to be similar to that of a classic tornado. The only difference is that the event occurs at sea rather than on land. Some studies attempt to replace the term "tornadic" with a term associated with a storm, as it is not entirely clear that the formation mechanism of this phenomenon requires the existence of a powerful vortex, as is the case with conventional tornadoes.
On the other hand, we have the non-tornadic marine sleeves. This type of marine sleeves are the most common on the coasts of the Iberian Peninsula. Its formation mechanism is associated with the combination of horizontal wind shear This horizontal shear, combined with high sea surface temperatures, creates conditions conducive to the development of storm surges. Our coasts experience a large amount of solar radiation, causing the sea surface to heat up rapidly over time. Sea acclimatization occurs more slowly due to this high solar radiation. Therefore, storm surges occur more frequently on our coasts. For more information on cloud formation and related phenomena, see How do clouds form.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the meteorological phenomenon of the marine sleeve.