The waterspout outbreak over the Great Lakes is expected to continue this week

The Great Lakes is in the midst of a waterspout outbreak, and the whirlwind of activity is expected to last through Wednesday of this week, forecasters say.

According to the Toronto-based International Center for Waterspout Research, there were 16 confirmed waterspouts over the Great Lakes region as of Sunday, October 13th. Ten of them were over Lake Ontario and the other six were seen over Lake Michigan.

Two of Lake Michigan's waterspouts swirled simultaneously and were spotted north of Holland around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids reported. Another was seen near Whitehall.

Why the gargoyle outbreak now? Weather conditions are perfect, with colder air blowing over the comparatively warmer surface waters of the Great Lakes.

MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa explained the structure of these water funnels and why fall can be the best time to see them.

His explanation:

“The perfect conditions for multiple waterspouts are a very cool blast of air from the northwest, a cold front and an upper-level low pressure system. Each of these ingredients plays a specific role in the formation of a waterspout.

“A waterspout forms when cold air flows over the Great Lakes region at elevations of 5,000 feet and higher. The large temperature difference between the air in the air and the…surface water creates an unstable situation.

“In weather, unstable means the air in the air is heavy and wants to fall to the ground. The warm air at the surface of the water is light and wants to rise higher into the atmosphere. The two air masses start moving and sink deeper with the cold in the air and higher with the warmth on the surface. When the air changes, rotation can also begin.

“The rotation is especially true when a cold front passes through and there is a low pressure area in the air. The cold front brings with it an abrupt shift in wind, usually from southwest to northwest or north. The zone along this wind rotation line will experience rotation. This rotation helps develop a gargoyle's rotation.

“The low pressure system in the air creates a general rotation of the air in the air, and that also helps keep a gargoyle’s rotation alive.”