Video Shows Rare Waterspout On Massive Minnesota Lake

Minnesotans out enjoying some time on a lake up north over the 4th of July weekend got to see something Mother Nature doesn't often show us.

Seeing as Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes (which, as we've said before, is actually closer to 11,842 lakes) so it's not surprising to see some interesting sights while out on the water. But lake enthusiasts on one of Minnesota's largest lakes got quite the site recently when a waterspout appeared on Sunday.

In case, like me, you're not familiar with just what a waterspout is, it's basically a tornado that has either formed over or moved over a body of water. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):

Waterspouts fall into two categories: fair-weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts. Tornadic waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water or move from land to water. They have the same characteristics as a land tornado. They are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning.

NOAA went on to say fair weather waterspouts aren't as damaging and are generally not associated with thunderstorms. But THIS waterspout was definitely in the other category, and formed on Lake Vermillion, about three and a half hours north of the Twin Cities, on Sunday, July 7, 2024, as a low-pressure system set off scattered showers and thunderstorms.

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A release from the National Weather Service (NWS) Duluth office noted that this waterspout was considered weak, and existed on the water for only about 5 minutes or so, from 2:17 pm to 2:22 pm:

Lake Vermillion waterspout
Rating: EF0
Estimated Peak Wind: 65 mph
Path Length /statute/: 1.95 miles
Path Width /maximum/: 30.0 yards

The NWS release also said the waterspout likely passed over or near Spider Island, as well as passing through the vicinity of Taylor and Stonich Islands. Those islands do have structures on them, NWS said, but no damage and no injuries were reported with this waterspout.

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You can check out the pictures and videos of the Lake Vermillion waterspout below.  It's definitely a Minnesota weather phenomenon you don't see every day, which, luckily didn't cause any damage. That's unlike these other weather disasters that have hit Minnesota over the years. Keep scrolling to take a look!

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