© Erica Taylor
The National Weather Service confirmed five waterspouts and three funnel clouds formed between noon and one o'clock Wednesday afternoon in areas around Marquette County.
They were spotted between Little Presque Isle and Harvey. One waterspout lasted roughly 20 minutes.
Mike Tapolcai, a Harvey resident, was in Marquette Township Wednesday when he noticed rotation in the sky.
"I was leaving the mall parking lot, I looked to the east and saw a funnel in the sky," Tapolcai said. "It caught my attention so I snapped a shot as quick as I could before I pulled out of the parking lot and pulled onto the highway. I then looked north and saw another funnel."
© Michelle Grunert
Jessica Glomp, a Negaunee Township woman, was also in Marquette Township Wednesday with her husband when they saw three different funnel clouds.
"We saw the two that were right next to each other for about five minutes, but then it was blocked by the Menards building," Glomp said. "The longer one, we watched it for at least five to 10 minutes before it started to dissipate."
Comment: Recently scientists found new, strange 'methane bubbles' in a field on a Russian island. Here's a small sample we've collected of other recent natural outgassing-related events:
- 20 foot high flames spew continuously from borehole in Madhya Pradesh, India
- Mysterious burning crack in the earth releases gas in Chimborazo, Ecuador
- Condamine River's mysterious bubbling methane intensifying in Queensland, Australia
- Frozen methane bubbles trapped under Canadian lake ignited with a match
It is likely that outgassing of methane (and other natural gases) is coming up from deep below the earth's surface. See also:SOTT Exclusive: The growing threat of underground fires and explosions