12th October 2025 – (Hong Kong) A rare meteorological phenomenon was witnessed off the coast of Hong Kong on Sunday afternoon as a dramatic waterspout formed near Lamma Island, creating a striking spectacle for onlookers.
The Hong Kong Observatory confirmed the event, which occurred around 1 pm amidst active thunderstorms. In an official social media post, the forecaster described the waterspout—colloquially known as a ‘water tornado’—as “a water column rapidly rotating, interlaced with water droplets that connects to the water from the base of a convective cloud.”
Video footage shared by the Observatory showed a distinct, swirling pillar of water extending from the sea surface up into the heavy cloud base, moving ominously between sailing boats in the area.
The sighting is considered particularly unusual for the time of year. According to historical records maintained by the Observatory, waterspouts are most frequently observed between June and August. Since record-keeping began in 1959, this marks only the fourth documented occurrence of a waterspout in the month of October,