▁the ▁torn ado . ▁Usually , ▁the ▁fun nel ▁cloud ▁begins ▁causing ▁damage ▁on ▁the ▁ground ▁( be coming ▁a ▁torn ado ) ▁within ▁minutes ▁of ▁the ▁R FD ▁reaching ▁the ▁ground . ▁ ▁W aters p outs ▁▁ ▁W aters p outs ▁exist ▁on ▁the ▁micro scale . ▁While ▁some ▁waters p outs ▁are ▁strong ▁( t orn adic ) ▁like ▁their ▁land - based ▁counter parts , ▁most ▁are ▁much ▁we aker ▁and ▁caused ▁by ▁different ▁atmos pher ic ▁dynamics . ▁They ▁normally ▁develop ▁in ▁mo ist ure - lad en ▁environments ▁with ▁little ▁vertical ▁wind ▁she ar ▁along ▁lines ▁of ▁convergence , ▁such ▁as ▁land ▁b ree zes , ▁lines ▁of ▁fr ict ional ▁convergence ▁from ▁nearby ▁land mass es , ▁or ▁surface ▁tr ough s . ▁ ▁Their ▁parent ▁cloud ▁can ▁be ▁as ▁innoc uous ▁as ▁a ▁moder ate ▁cum ulus , ▁or ▁as ▁significant ▁as ▁a ▁th under st orm . ▁W aters p outs ▁normally ▁develop ▁as ▁their ▁parent ▁clouds ▁are ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁of ▁development , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁the or ized ▁that ▁they ▁spin ▁up ▁as ▁they ▁move ▁up ▁the ▁surface ▁boundary ▁from ▁the ▁horizontal ▁wind ▁she ar ▁near ▁the ▁surface , ▁and ▁then ▁stretch ▁up wards ▁to ▁the ▁cloud ▁once ▁the ▁low ▁level ▁she ar ▁vor tex ▁align s ▁with ▁a ▁developing ▁cum ulus ▁or ▁th under st orm . ▁We ak ▁torn ado es , ▁known ▁as ▁land sp outs , ▁across ▁eastern ▁Colorado ▁have ▁been ▁witness ed ▁to ▁develop ▁in ▁a ▁similar