Funnel cloud spotted over New York Harbor

NEW YORK (FOX5NY.COM) - As powerful storms moved through the New York area on Tuesday, a funnel cloud was spotted churning over the water.

The National Weather Service confirmed that the phenomenon was a funnel cloud and not a tornado.

"We reviewed pictures and video from New York Harbor, and determined there was a funnel cloud. From the videos we saw, there was no apparent sign of the circulation touching the water," the New York office of the National Weather Service tweeted. "[T]he official NWS definition of a tornado is that the circulation reaches the ground. Nearly all tornadoes begin as a funnel cloud."

Photos and videos of the funnel cloud were posted to social media. User @michaeluturn shared a video of the cloud around 2:45 p.m.