Social media was filled with video and images of waterspouts along the Outer Banks Monday.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City office said conditions were ripe for the small over-water tornadoes: light winds, a lot of moisture and mild instability.
Hampton Sylvia captured video of the waterspout that formed off Colington just after sunset.
Jennette’s Pier posted a Facebook photo by Larry Haley of a waterspout near Roanoke Island Monday afternoon, saying it disappeared quickly.
Around the same time, Garden Deli & Pizzeria in Manteo posted a picture by Crystal Simpson of a funnel cloud photo saying “Come get your pizza before we are blown to Oz.”
In Duck, Kasey Anne Powell caught an image of a waterspout from Nor’Banks Sailing and Watersports. It, too, dissipated quickly.
NWS meteorologists say waterspouts rarely make landfall, and usually dissipate rapidly if they do.