Waterspout forms near Leesburg close to State Road 44, no damage reported | FOX 51 Gainesville
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Waterspout forms near Leesburg close to State Road 44, no damage reported

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Published  May 13, 2025 12:11am EDT
Lake County
FOX 35 Orlando
Unwarned waterspout forms near Leesburg

Unwarned waterspout forms near Leesburg

A waterspout formed over a lake near SR-44 in Lake County on Monday evening but never made landfall.

The Brief

    • A waterspout formed over a lake near SR-44 in Lake County on Monday evening but never made landfall.
    • The brief event went unwarned due to radar limitations but was caught on video by locals.
    • Had it crossed onto land, it would have been classified as a tornado.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A waterspout was reported along State Road 44 in Lake County on Monday. There was no damage, thankfully, but it was an unwarned tornado that formed over a lake and lifted over a lake. 

What we know:

A waterspout formed over a lake near State Road 44 around sunset Monday, creating a dramatic but harmless weather event. 

The spout was connected to a thunderstorm and did not cause any damage. Because it remained over water and did not touch land, it was not officially classified as a tornado — though meteorologically, it could have been had it moved inland.

Waterspout reported over Leesburg area

Waterspout reported over Leesburg area

A waterspout was reported along State Road 44. There was no damage, thankfully, but it was an unwarned tornado that formed over a lake and lifted over a lake. Had it crossed over land, by meteorological definition, it would have become a tornado.

Local residents Debbie Porter and Savannah Ferguson captured and shared striking video of the phenomenon, which aired on FOX 35.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear exactly how long the waterspout was on the ground or what specific lake it occurred over. Meteorologists have not confirmed the exact strength or duration of the rotation, and the National Weather Service has not issued a post-analysis report. 

The backstory:

Waterspouts are typically weak tornadoes that form over water, often in association with developing thunderstorms. They can appear quickly and dissipate just as fast, making them difficult to detect on radar. In this case, the spout was unwarned — likely due to its brief lifespan and the radar’s inability to pick up small, transient features over water.

This isn’t the first time an unwarned waterspout has formed in Central Florida, where afternoon and evening thunderstorms are frequent during the warm months. Such events are typically non-destructive unless they cross onto land, at which point they are reclassified as tornadoes.

What they're saying:

"There was no tornado warning issued, likely because the radar missed the spout as it quickly dropped and lifted. That’s common with radar technology," said FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Noah Bergren..

"Had it crossed over land, by definition, it would have become a tornado," Bergren added.

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The Source: This story was written based on information shared by FOX 35 viewers Debbie Porter and Savannah Ferguson, and FOX 35 Storm Team Meteorologist Noah Bergren.

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