A rare water tornado was observed off the coast of Northern California

A water tornado was captured off the coast of Humboldt County in Northern California, USA, in one of the most extreme weather periods in recent history, SF GATE reports.

The whirlwind swept through on Monday afternoon in Shelter Bay on the Lost Coast. Local resident Mika Crambo noticed an unusual sight during a walk and took a picture.

According to him, it was sunny and warm that day.

"It was a really cool sight, especially right after the snow here in Shelter Cove," he said.

Like much of California, Humboldt County has experienced severe winter storms in recent days.