Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters
Every waterspout event the National Weather Service has filed in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, year by year, with the most significant episodes. A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.
The most significant on the map
The most significant waterspout episodes in North Atlantic Coastal Waters.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 186
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 2
- Damage
- $16,000
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 1, 2021Multiple lines of severe thunderstorms produced gusty winds over the tidal Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay, and a brief waterspout as a tornado crossed the upper tidal Potomac River between Arlington and DC.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, October 16, 2021A strong cold front produced a line of showers resulting in brief-gale force winds and a couple of waterspouts.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, April 6, 2017Cutoff low pressure was over the Ohio Valley. Another area of low pressure strengthened overhead on the occluded boundary. Warm and moist air from the south lead to an unstable atmosphere. Strong shear profiles were in place due to the cutoff low to the west.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 4, 2022Strong to severe thunderstorms produced numerous instances of gale to storm force winds over the area waterways.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, September 8, 2012An early developing line of thunderstorms developed a waterspout in Ocean County during the late morning on the 8th.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, May 16, 2025A powerful line of thunderstorms produced winds as high as hurricane force over portions of the tidal Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. A tornado briefly became a waterspout as it crossed the tidal Patapsco River in Baltimore.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspouts in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 14, 2021Clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms produced numerous instances of gusty winds over the tidal Potomac River and portions of the Chesapeake Bay.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 26, 2012An area of low pressure was located over the Mid Atlantic which increased tropical southerly flow to the region. Heavy rain was the main threat but isolated thunderstorms produced damaging winds and lightning.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 1, 2009A potent cold front passed through the waters on the first. Ahead of the front, plenty of moisture lead to unstable conditions. The instability combined with the forcing from the front to trigger showers and thunderstorms. Thunderstorms produced gusty winds and large hail.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspouts in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, May 18, 2002See the May 18th storm data report for Charles County and Calvert County, Maryland for more information on this event.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, April 20, 2015A warm front was draped across the Mason-Dixon Line as a cold front slowly approached from the northwest, leaving the Mid Atlantic warm sectored.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, February 24, 2016Strong low pressure moved from the deep south to the Great Lakes, dragging a cold front through the Mid-Atlantic. Strong veering winds as a warm front lifted north ahead of the cold front led to increased sheer across the area.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 15, 2023Lines of thunderstorms developed along a stalling cold front resulting in gusty winds and a waterspout over the Chesapeake Bay and tidal Potomac River.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspouts in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 31, 2025A strong cold front intersected a hot and very humid airmass resulting in several clusters of severe thunderstorms across the Mid-Atlantic.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, June 23, 2015A squall line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved through Delaware Bay as well as the Atlantic coastal waters off of the southern New Jersey coast during the late afternoon and early evening of the 23rd. A waterspout also occurred in Barnegat Bay in Ocean County New Jersey.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 12, 2010A backdoor cold front stalled out near the waters on the 12th while and upper-level disturbance passed through the area. A hot and humid air mass ahead of the cold front produced moderate amounts of instability. Some thunderstorms that developed were able to produce gusty winds.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, June 1, 2012Scattered thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced gusty winds across portions of the Chesapeake Bay.
- Marine Tropical Storm and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 4, 2020A waterspout produced by Tropical Cyclone Isaias moved onshore in Calvert County. There were also several sustained tropical storm force wind measurements from buoys.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 26, 2003A waterspout was reported between Nanjemoy Creek and Maryland Point.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspouts in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 11, 2008A strong upper level low pressure system spawned strong thunderstorms over the waters around Long Island, some of these produced waterspouts.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspouts in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, August 7, 2008A strong upper level disturbance, coupled with a passing trough of low pressure at the surface, produced several strong thunderstorms over the waters around Long Island, including waterspouts over Long Island Sound.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 21, 2010A stationary front, coupled with an approaching upper level trough caused severe thunderstorms, including isolated supercells, across the waters around Long Island.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 25, 2016The combination of a trough of low pressure and a trough aloft produced strong to severe storms that moved over the waters around Long Island.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 26, 2011A pre-frontal trough and an approaching cold front triggered scattered strong thunderstorms across the waters around Long Island.
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds and Waterspout in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, July 24, 2012A cold front moving through a very warm, moist airmass over Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts resulted in showers and thunderstorms. Many of these storms became severe, producing damaging winds and large hail.
More
Waterspout everywhereEvery kind of event in North Atlantic Coastal Waters
Sources
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.