Waterspout observed over Tindog beach in Roxas, Palawan

A resident of Roxas, Palawan spotted a waterspout occurring over Tindog beach.

According to Kuya Kim Atienza's report in "24 Oras" Tuesday, the phenomenon was captured on video by Ylonee Española

A waterspout or an ipo-ipo is a spinning column of air or tornado that extends from a cloud and forms over water.

"Namumuo siya sa surface ng dagat kapag merong mainit na tubig," explained Charina Lyn Repollo, an oceanographer. "Ngayon ay mag-r-rise up. With moisture and heat it will spin up, kapag merong clouds sa taas poporma siya ng isang vertical column."

Per Kuya Kim, there are two types of waterspout: tornadic and fair-weather. Tornadic waterspouts usually form over land and move over water, while fair-weather waterspouts, like the one seen in Ylonee's video, occur over open water, developing on the surface of the water.

Repollo noted that the waterspout in the video seemed weak because there was no cloud above it.

"Walang cloud sa taas, so parang mahina lang talaga 'yung waterspout na 'yun," she said.

"Generally hindi naman siya ganun ka delikado kasi maliit lang siya kung ikumpara mo siya sa isang buhawi or tornado na nasa lupa. Pero as a caution, lalo na [sa] maliliit na bangka, umiwas na lang," she added.

Meanwhile, Kuya Kim explained that a whirlpool or alimpuyo is a rotating body of water. It is formed when two water currents from different directions meet or when a water current collides with an obstacle, causing the currents to swirl around.

—CDC, GMA Integrated News