Waterspout watch in effect around P.E.I. as well as east of N.B. and north of N.S.

Environment Canada has included a waterspout watch in its marine forecast for the waters around Prince Edward Island specifically, east of New Brunswick and north of Nova Scotia.

Waterspout watches are issued when cool air moves over relatively warm water.

"That combination is certainly in place right now," said CBC meteorologist Ryan Snoddon.

"Sea surface temperatures in the southern Gulf are near 20 C, and with colder than normal temperatures in place in our atmosphere aloft."

The watch is officially in place until Wednesday evening, but Snoddon said conditions look favourable for the development of waterspouts again on Thursday.

Water spouts are often confused with tornados, but they are different.They are large, narrow columns of moist air that rotate.They tend to stretch from clouds down to thewater, becoming less defined as they near the surface.

Boaters told to take care

This week's weather conditions in the Maritimes would mean fair-weather waterspouts.

Snoddon says even fair-weather waterspouts can be dangerous, but because they typically form in light winds, they do not tend to move quickly and can generally be avoided.

Environment Canada meteorologist Ian Hubbard said boaters should take special care.

"They can get wind speeds up to as high as 80 kilometres per hour with their gusts... So that's enough to, you know, cause some issues on the water certainly for some small crafts or small boats anyway."

Hubbard said anyoneon the ocean who sees a water spout should move away from it and head towardland.