An impressive water tornado has swept off the coast of New South Wales

Near the coast of the Australian state of New South Wales on Thursday, March 11, a water tornado passed through the sea. The rare phenomenon was noticed by the residents of the city of Vulgulga and managed to capture it on video, sharing it on Facebook.

The water tornado was quite far out at sea, but it was moving slowly towards the coastline.

Heavy rain and gusty winds were expected in the area, according to the New South Wales Bureau of Meteorology.

As reported by 30А.сом, water tornadoes are a tower of powerfully rotating wind. This is a less powerful and less destructive type of tornado, as there are fewer obstacles in its path.

Water tornadoes are sometimes found off the coast of Australia, usually occurring in wet weather conditions with a combination of warm water and cool air. Their life cycle begins with a dark spot appearing on the surface of the water, then the vortex slowly picks up speed until it stretches upward. Water tornadoes can last from 2 to 20 minutes and move at a speed of about 30 km / h.