Pilot Captures Double Waterspouts in Terrifying Photo

A pilot flying above New Zealand got a better view than he was bargaining for when he encountered not one, but two waterspouts.

The double waterspouts were spotted by Hawera Aero Club pilot Chris Schone near Manaia, a town on the western coast of New Zealand's North Island.

Schone said it was the first time in his 15 years flying that he had ever seen two waterspouts at the same time.

"I've never seen them before, other than on the news so that was interesting," he told local news site New Zealand Herald. "I was a comfortable distance away from them so I wasn't too worried about that."

"It certainly made for a good show."

Images of the waterspouts were posted to the Hawera Aero Club Facebook page, with comments noting that Schone was flying at around 3,000 feet when he took the photos.

Waterspouts are spinning columns of air, like a tornado, that form over water. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), waterspouts come in two forms: fair weather waterspouts and tornadic waterspouts, the latter of which are associated with thunderstorms and often move onto land, becoming a tornado.

Fair weather waterspouts, on the other hand, usually form under developing cumulus clouds, developing at the surface of the water and growing upwards due to two winds blowing in different directions meeting at the right spot.

They usually only exist for 5 to 10 minutes, but speeds within the vortex can reach up to 60 miles per hour, and can cause major damage to boats. If they make landfall, they can also wreak havoc on properties.

Waterspouts form most readily when masses of cooler air meet warmer air, which often occurs in the autumn and winter, when wind from the land is cooler and the air over the ocean is warmer.

These waterspouts likely arose due to the cold wall of air sweeping across New Zealand, which is in the depths of the southern hemisphere's winter, bringing with it bursts of snow.

Tornadoes as a whole are fairly uncommon in New Zealand, with only between seven and 10 being spotted each year, most of which dissipate after only a few minutes.

Many local people also spotted the double waterspouts.

"I watched it for several minutes, and when the wind picked up and the rain started, I made a hasty retreat back to the house," Awatuna resident Jody Thomas told the NZ Herald.

"We've had plenty of rain here, and a lot of hail."

Thomas' home was severely damaged by a tornado only months before.

"It just makes you a little bit nervous."

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