Heavy thunderstorms swept over the northwestern Mediterranean near Turkey last Saturday, producing several waterspouts, at one point as many as five at once.

The thunderstorms passed over the Gulf of Iskenderun, the Mediterranean's northeastern most bay, among others, more than 60 miles northeast of Cyprus and close to the Turkish city of İskenderun.

While impressive to look at, the waterspouts did not make landfall or cause any damage on the water.

The waterspouts were triggered by a weak low pressure area near Turkey, which remained active into last Monday. The somewhat fresh upper air and relatively warm sea water further promoted the formation of showers.

A waterspout is nothing but a tornado over the sea or lakes. Snake-shaped whirlwinds form from powerful showers and thunderstorms.

When the snake-shaped trunk manages to reach the water surface, it is truly a waterspout. The funnel-shaped 'vortex' then sucks up the water.

In Europe, waterspouts can be observed mainly in late summer and autumn on the coasts and over larger inland waters. In the U.S., they can often occur on the Great Lakes in autumn.

This is when relatively cold air flows over the still warm water. The large temperature difference easily causes heavy rain and thunderstorms.

While the phenomena can be awe-inspiring, they are also short lasting with a typical lifespan ranging from a few seconds to over 10 minutes.