This is the incredible moment an S-shaped waterspout tornaso formed next to a coastal village in Greece.

Video shows the air column snaking down from the sky and connecting to the sea off the coast of Paliouri in the Chalkidiki region on August 14. Vapours can be seen swirling and forming a cloud of mist near the waterspout tornado's base.

There were no reports of injuries or property damage caused by the sizeable vortex. However, hundreds of residents in the town watched, anxious while the formidable weather phenomenon was twisting 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.