Tornadoes are generally more dangerous as they are stronger than waterspouts.
No, in fact, they are much less powerful. ----- A waterspout is a tornado that forms over water instead of land. Unless you are on water, in its path, a tornado would be worse, because more people live on land.
Waterspouts can be dangerous but it would be very unusual for one to reach EF5 strength. There are two types of waterspout: tornadic waterspouts and fair weather waterspouts. Fair weather waterspouts are the more common variety by far. They form from convection over a warm body of water. They are weaker than true tornadoes, rarely exceeding EF1 strength. They rarely cause damage, but they can be dangerous to people in boats. Tornadic waterspouts are simply tornadoes that happen to be on a body of water. They can be just as strong and just as dangerous as regular tornadoes. One reaching EF5 strength would still be unusual. EF5 tornadoes are rare as it is. It so happens that the regions (at least in the U.S.) where violent tornadoes are most common don't have many large bodies of water. Occasionally, though, a violent tornado has crossed a lake or river and briefly become a waterspout of sorts.
Waterspouts are often thought to be less "deadly" than tornadoes because there is not really any property for them to pick up/destroy: They generally are not carrying gigantic amounts of debris to cause destruction, and hardly any human lives are at risk. However, they ARE tornadoes - just on water- They have "deadly" winds (think about how heavy all that water is). While fair-weather waterspouts rarely produce winds over 70 mph, tornadic waterspouts can be just as strong as any tornado.
"Rope" and "wedge" are just terms to describe the appearance of a tornado; they are not distinct phenomena. A rope tornado is a tornado that has a very narrow, often winding appearance. Tornadoes often go through a rope stage as they dissipate. A wedge is a very large tornado that appears wider than it is tall. Such large tornadoes are often strong. Waterspouts come in two varieties. Tornadic waterspouts are simply tornadoes that happen to be on water. Fair-weather waterspouts, which are more common, are a product of small-scale convection rather than rotation in a severe thunderstorm. These waterspouts are generally much weaker than ordinary tornadoes but they can still be dangerous to boaters.
No. Waterspouts are generally smaller than most tornadoes. Though a few are in the same size range that tornadoes typically fall into.
Waterspouts
Tornadoes on water are called waterspouts.
Waterspouts start in generally calm conditions in coastal regions beneath cumulus clouds. Most are NOT tornadoes over water, which are associated with violent thunderstorms. Waterspouts are still dangerous, however.
"Water tornadoes," which are called waterspouts, are divided into two categories. Fair-weather waterspouts, are structured differently and generally weaker than classic tornadoes. Tornadic waterspouts are ordinary tornadoes that happen to be on water, they are just as strong as ordinary tornadoes.
Waterspouts and MAYBE dust devils
Yes, tornadoes on water are called waterspouts.
yes