A large waterspout resembling a tornado was spotted off the coast of West Auckland this morning.

Local Robert Waddell said he spotted the spout about 1km off the coast of Muriwai Beach, stretching around 400m in the air with a large base about 100m in diameter.

“It was this huge white column,” he said.

“It was heading off towards the Helensville sort of area, but only over the sea obviously.

“And it just kept on going till it hit the beach.”

Robert said the waterspout was around 1km off the coast of Muriwai Beach. Photo / Robert Waddell

He said he was not nervous about standing out and photographing it because it was headed in the opposite direction.

“I’ve never seen one before. It was quite spectacular.”

MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley said the spout was a feature in the unstable conditions crossing the North Island, which also threatens to bring heavy downpours and marble-sized hail.

Water spouts typically occur in unstable conditions and humidity when an updraft mixes with showers, so the rising warmer air cools and condenses into vapour.