Cheung Chau residents spot funnel cloud, Observatory says cannot confirm if waterspout

Residents of Cheung Chau reported spotting a spectacular funnel cloud extending from the sky on Monday afternoon, with videos circulating on social media showing the phenomenon over the sea.

The sighting occurred around 6.36pm as severe thunderstorms associated with an active southerly airstream affected Guangdong and the northern South China Sea.

The Hong Kong Observatory said two residents reported seeing a funnel cloud over Cheung Chau around 6.30pm. However, the Observatory said it cannot yet confirm whether the phenomenon was a waterspout, as it remains unclear from the footage whether the funnel cloud had touched the water surface.

According to the Observatory, when atmospheric conditions are highly unstable, strong convection in thunderstorms can produce vigorous rotating columns of air, appearing as funnel clouds. If the vortex touches the ground, it is a tornado; if it touches the sea surface, it is a waterspout.

Waterspouts are rapidly rotating columns of air filled with water droplets, extending from convective clouds to the sea surface. They are generally less intense than tornadoes on land.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓