This is the spectacular moment a long and thick waterspout formed off the coast of Greece.

The incredible twister, with an unusually well-defined funnel shape, was recorded swirling near the town of Paliouri in the Chalkidiki region on August 14.

Its opaque shaft could be seen extending from a blanket of dark clouds and touching down next to the seaside village.

There were no reports of injuries or property damage caused by the sizeable vortex. However, hundreds of residents in the coastal town watched, with being of them left anxious while the formidable weather phenomenon was swirling towards them.

Waterspouts are intense columns of swirling tornado clouds that form over a body of water. They are most commonly found in subtropical areas and disappear shortly after they come into contact with land.

Scientists believe they are formed when pockets of warm air near the water surface rise suddenly. Cooler air is then sucked into the low pressure air, which picks up water and rises towards the clouds in a rotating motion.