On Thursday, August 4th, a tornadic waterspout formed over the Chesapeake Bay and traveled over the northwestern portion of Smith Island in southern Maryland as a strong EF-1 tornado. The National Weather Service estimated maximum wind speeds of 110 mph and the tornado traveled 2.2 miles and was 100 yards wide! Thankfully, no deaths were reported but one person in a mobile home was injured. There was significant tree and roof damage, and there were mobile homes that were destroyed.
There was plenty of instability present to support tornadic activity as temperatures in the mid-levels were in the mid to upper-80s with dew point values in the low-80s. This created a great environment for lift (rapidly rising air) and there was shear present (turning of the winds with height). According to the National Weather Service, the tornadic waterspout formed below the radar beam (5000 ft), which made rotation difficult to detect on radar. It was an unusual event because the waterspout produced a high-end EF-1 tornado on land and did not just create a brief spin up. Tornadic waterspouts have similar characteristics to a tornado that occurs on land. They develop downward from a severe thunderstorm cell and form over water.
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