Waterspout in Lake Ontario

Events

39

Deaths

0

Injuries

0

Damage

None recorded

• Waterspouts in Lake Ontario, September 7, 20213 eventsCold advection behind Monday's thunderstorm line and cold frontal passage allowed for sufficient instability to develop over Lake Ontario for some early morning waterspouts.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 15, 20112 eventsAutumn like temperatures followed the passage of a cold front early in the day. A waterspout was sighted north of Sodus. Winds gusts to 40 knots were measured at Oswego.
• Waterspouts in Lake Ontario, July 30, 20132 eventsA cold, cyclonic flow over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario led to the formation of waterpouts over the southeast parts of the lake. Several waterspouts (also known as cold air funnels) were sighted off Sodus Point and Fair Haven.
• Waterspouts in Lake Ontario, July 19, 20132 eventsA thunderstorm moving across Lake Ontario spawned a waterspout just north of Hilton, New York. The waterspout, caught on amateur video, came onshore and moved across a small section of Braddock Point before moving back out over water in Braddock Bay.
• Waterspouts in Lake Ontario, October 20, 20132 eventsCold air over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario resulted in lake induced showers and cold air funnels. Several dozen waterspouts were sighted well offshore of Wayne County and north of Oswego during the morning hours.
• Waterspouts in Lake Ontario, September 28, 20182 eventsThe first intrusion of cold air aloft brought showers over Lake Ontario. With warm early Autumn water temperatures, the first waterspout of the season was reported.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 22, 20222 eventsCold and unstable air flowed southward into the region with the first push of Canadian air of the season into western New York. This resulted in a broad pool of mid-level cold air pushing over the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes.
• Waterspouts in Lake Ontario, October 8, 20242 eventsCool temperatures aloft over a relatively warm Lake Ontario, combined with a passing trough, brought favorable conditions for waterspouts. Two waterspouts were spotted over Lake Ontario during the mid-morning hours.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, October 17, 20031 event
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 20, 20061 event
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 21, 20061 event
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, October 14, 20061 eventCold air funnels developed as a cold northwest flow of air crossed the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, August 8, 20081 eventCold air crossing the relatively warmer waters of Lake Ontario resulted in waterspouts.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 5, 20101 eventA cool, cyclonic flow across Lake Ontario produced lake effect clouds and waterspouts. A waterspout was reported north of Sodus during the morning hours.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, October 28, 20101 eventA cool, cyclonic flow across Lake Ontario produced lake effect clouds and waterspouts. Several waterspouts were spotted off Oswego during the early afternoon hours.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, October 7, 20121 eventCold air over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario resulted in lake induced showers and cold air funnels. A waterspout was sighted just east northeast of Sodus Point.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 9, 20121 eventCold air over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario resulted in lake induced showers and cold air funnels. Three waterspouts were sighted between Port Bay and Fair Haven.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 19, 20121 eventCold air over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario resulted in lake induced showers and cold air funnels. A waterspout was reported three miles north of Fair Haven.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, October 11, 20121 eventCold air over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario resulted in lake induced showers and cold air funnels. A waterspout was sighted just east of Fair Haven.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, October 24, 20131 eventCold air over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario resulted in lake induced showers and cold air funnels. Waterspouts were sighted near Oswego.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, October 27, 20131 eventCold air over the relatively warm waters of Lake Ontario resulted in lake induced showers and cold air funnels. Waterspouts were sighted off Sodus Point.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, June 27, 20171 eventA waterspout was sighted just northeast of Nine Mile Point.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, September 7, 20171 eventCold air crossing the relatively warmer waters of Lake Ontario resulted in waterspouts at the eastern end of the Lake. Social media reports showed a spout off Henderson Harbor.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, August 9, 20191 eventA weak cell popped up along the lake shore in the evening. This cell was very isolated, but due to cold air aloft coming over the lake and warm late summer water temperatures, a water spout was reported from SUNY-Oswego.
• Waterspout in Lake Ontario, August 4, 20201 eventAs a cold front started to cross the far western counties of New York, thunderstorms developed in an airmass with little shear but modestly strong instability.

Waterspout everywhereEvery kind of event in Lake Ontario

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.