Bayesian yacht latest: Divers struggle to access cabins of sunken Sicily yacht with six people missing

Matt Taylor
BBC Weather

Image source, Getty Images

Witnesses describe seeing a waterspout form during the storm before the sinking of the Bayesian.

Most of us are aware of what tornadoes are – rotating columns of
destructive winds, protruding from the base of clouds down to the ground.

Waterspouts are just that too, but are over water rather
than land. Instead of dust and debris swirling around the core of strong winds,
it’s water mist whipped up from the surface.

Like tornadoes, most are only short-lived, narrow columns and are not easily picked out on weather radars, so many will go
unreported.

However, they are not as rare as you may think. According to the International Centre for
Waterspout Research there were 18 confirmed waterspouts off the coast of Italy
on 19 August alone.

In the northern hemisphere, waterspouts are most common in late
summer and through the autumn, when sea temperatures are at their highest,
fuelling the storm clouds. However, with sea temperatures rising due to climate
change there is a concern that they could become more common.

In the last week, the Mediterranean has registered its highest
sea surface temperature on record, which has helped to energise this recent
storm outbreak.