Waterspout Comes Onshore as Tornado in Tampa

Published February 26, 2013

A short-lived waterspout moved over northern Hillsborough Bay, about 2 miles south-southeast of Tampa, and dissipated as it approached Harbor Island.

A waterspout developed around 11:12 a.m. in the channel between Harbour Island and Davis Island, between the Westin Hotel on Harbour Island and the Tampa Bay Convention Center. The waterspout moved onshore as a tornado along the northern shore of Harbor Island near the Westin Hotel and proceeded down the channel between the Tampa Bay Times Forum and Harbour Island. The tornado continued through the channelside area before lifting just east of the Florida Aquarium.

The National Weather Service office in Tampa reports that a waterspout came onshore as an EF-0 tornado with winds of 60 mph. They tweeted the photo below before the waterspout moved onshore:

Here is the preliminary National Weather Service survey of the downtown Tampa tornado:
Rating: EF-0

Estimated peak wind: 75 to 85 mph

Path length /statute: 0.85 of a mile

Path width /maximum: 100 yards

Fatalities: none

Injuries: none

Start date: 02-26-13

Start time: 11:12 a.m. EST

Start location: 0.10 of a mile south of the Tampa Bay Convection Center

End date: 02-26-13

End time: 11:15 a.m. EST

End location: 0.10 of a mile east of the Florida Aquarium

URL

http://www.foxnews.com/weather/2013/02/26/waterspout-comes-onshore-as-tornado-in-tampa/