Why Florida's waterspouts can be more dangerous than you think

South Florida is one of the waterspout capitals of the world. In fact, the Florida Keys can see hundreds of them every year.

But here's something many people don't realize—not all waterspouts form the same way. Some develop during calm summer mornings, while others are simply tornadoes over water. Florida Storms' Leslie Hudson explains.

One final myth worth clearing up: despite what movies often show, waterspouts don't spend their lives sucking huge amounts of ocean water into the sky.

The visible column is made mostly of condensed water vapor, while the spray near the surface comes from strong rotating winds—not a giant vacuum pulling the ocean upward.