A waterspout was seen off the coast of Taranaki earlier today, with curious locals snapping several photos.
Taranaki man Chris Welson said he was at a friend's home in Moturoa overlooking Paratutu Rock when he spotted the waterspout out of the kitchen window.
![Chris Welson spotted the waterspout earlier this morning. Photo / Chris Welson](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/6FFPPJGCI4JNJ2JSKBNGT6IWAE.jpg?auth=64a8f33d0d0d4042560387e7f62fef0011406c71ad0221a32b377f3932a5a3a2&width=16&height=13&quality=70&smart=true)
MetService meteorologist April Clark said waterspouts were tricky to track, and were often small-scale weather features associated with isolated thunderstorms.
She said high helicity this morning helped form the waterspout near New Plymouth as a weather system passed along the west of New Zealand.