A rotating column of air rose from the ground into the sky, attracting the attention of people in the nearby areas.
A rare landspout was sighted in the coastal city of Gwadar on Monday, ahead of an approaching western disturbance that is expected to bring rain to parts of the country.
The unusual meteorological phenomenon was observed rising from the ground towards the sky, forming a visible rotating column of air that caught the attention of residents in nearby areas. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast rain from Tuesday under the influence of a western disturbance, with experts linking the formation of the landspout to the same weather system.
According to meteorologists, land and sea waterspouts are rotating columns of air that form under similar atmospheric conditions. Faint tornado-like formations develop over land, while waterspouts form over water masses.
Former PMD chief Sardar Sarfraz said the landspout observed in Gwadar was caused by a western low pressure system entering Pakistan. “Landspouts have formed in the southwestern region of Balochistan due to the arrival of a western disturbance,” Sarfraz said.
He noted that waterspouts had been reported several times in the past along Pakistan’s coast, including near Gwadar. “The last reported waterspout was observed on January 20, 2019, about 57 nautical miles from the Gharo-Baari coastal strip in Sindh,” he said.
Sarfraz added that a similar weather event was earlier reported on February 28, 2016, off the coastal area of Sakooni near Kalmat Khor in Balochistan. Despite their name, Sarfraz explained that landspouts and waterspouts do not contain water inside. “They are columns of air filled with cloud particles that begin to rotate from the surface of the earth or sea,” he said.
He further explained that waterspouts are broadly classified into two types: tornado and fair weather waterspouts. The clouds associated with fair-weather waterspouts move slowly, making such formations appear relatively stationary.
WWF-Pakistan technical advisor Muhammad Moazzam Khan said land and sea waterspouts typically form beneath plume-shaped clouds and are not usually associated with thunderstorms. “This natural activity usually dissipates on its own within a short period,” Khan said.
He said waterspouts have long been recognized as a serious marine hazard, particularly to small fishing boats. “They remain a threat at sea, so maintaining a safe distance is strongly recommended,” Khan said.
According to experts, waterspouts have an average diameter of about 50 meters and a wind speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour. While some can persist for up to an hour, their average lifespan is between five and ten minutes.
