Overview

• The twin waterspouts formed between August 3 and 4 off the Emilia-Romagna coast, drawing onlookers in Rosolina Mare, Porto Tolle and Comacchio.
• Social media posts captured the funnels spinning in close proximity, creating the illusion of a single vortex before both dissipated.
• Forecasters say cold air aloft colliding with warm, humid Adriatic waters fueled the intense convection that spawned the waterspouts.
• Regional civil protection agencies warned beachgoers to avoid open shorelines, urged vessel safety checks and kept maritime activities under a yellow alert.
• Even without direct damage from the waterspouts, fire and rescue teams handled more than 30 incidents—mainly fallen trees and blocked roads—during the storm’s passage.