Birth of a Tornado; Why You Don't Want to Be in a Boat

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It is rare to see a tornado (actually a waterspout) form before our eyes. This security camera video shows the tornado's formation and it subsequently attacking boats. 
The video should make it clear why boats and tornadoes don't mix (there are even videos of speedboats in Florida chasing waterspouts). Today is the 48th anniversary of the terrible Whippoorwill Tornado in Kansas. 

The Whippoorwill was a show boat that operated on Kansas' Lake Pomona. A tornado, F-1 intensity, struck the boat while the cruise was in progress. The boat capsized, drowning 16 of the 58 people on board. This tornado occurred before Doppler radar and the storm was not detected before it occurred -- thus, no warning. 

If the Whippoorwill tragedy is not enough to convince you stay off the water in stormy weather, please recall the Duck Boat Tragedy at Table Rock Lake in 2018. 17 of the 31 people on board drowned. 

Regardless of whether a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning is in effect, boats should not be operated during thunderstorms. Lightning prefers to strike elevated structures and, compared to the surface of the water, boats are just that. 

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