Waterspout season has begun in Greece

A video of a waterspout a few minutes ago in Chalkidiki, Greece

Video footage has emerged of a massive waterspout moving around the coast of Greece.

The spout can be seen hovering off the coast, not far from the town of Paliouri, in clips posted on social media late last night.

Paliouri lies on the Kassandra peninsula, about 300 kilometres north of the capital, Athens.

While waterspouts appear similar to tornadoes, they are generally much smaller and less intense, and tend to only last a short period of time – most finish in five minutes or under.

They can form when two opposing winds collide, creating a high amount of rotating air, and are more likely to be created when air temperatures are relatively cool while the water remains warm.

They are most common in tropical waters, but it is not particularly unusual for them to be seen in Greece and elsewhere in the Mediterranean Sea.