Waterspout Spotted Off Jersey Shore, NWS Says

ASBURY PARK, NJ — An apparent waterspout formed off the coast of southern Monmouth County on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

It was seen in Asbury Park shortly before noon on Aug. 24, according to a preliminary storm report by the NWS.

Photos on Twitter shared by NBC Philadelphia meteorologist Justin Godynick show the waterspout as seen from Ocean Grove and Spring Lake.

NWS meteorologist Alex Staarman told NJ Advance Media that the warm ocean water and rotation of winds likely allowed the waterspout to form.

Waterspouts are tornados that form over water, according to the NWS. They share the same characteristics as land tornados.

Though waterspouts are associated with severe thunderstorms, there was no thunder or lightning in Thursday's storms along the Jersey Shore, the NWS said.