Landspout forms in Fort Myers as storms collide over Colonial Blvd. and I-75

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)—A landspout touched down near Forum Boulevard, sending debris swirling through the air and leaving witnesses shaken.

WINK News received multiple videos from viewers showing the landspout picking up debris and throwing it around as people drove home from work or the gym. Several people initially thought they were witnessing a tornado.

The National Weather Service confirmed it was a landspout, not a tornado. WINK News surveyed the area for about an hour and a half and found no significant damage, only large puddles from the heavy rain.

Walterman spoke with witnesses who described the frightening experience. Jake Stecklein, an eyewitness, was in his vehicle when the landspout formed.

"Sounded like someone was throwing rocks at the car. Sounded like kind of a hailstorm, started smacking the vehicle, and it started to strengthen. It started out, no dirt coming up, no nothing. You can't really see any clouds forming, but debris started flying through the air in a circular motion, and then dirt started getting picked up with it, started hitting the vehicle," Stecklein said.

The landspout also caught workers at a fireworks tent off Forum Boulevard off guard. Valarie Gibson, who operates the stand, said the storm sounded more like a tornado.

"For me, I was kind of scared, okay, because he was inside sleeping, so I was like somebody help me!" Gibson said.

The operators got drenched as rain poured into the tent, creating puddles inside. While they expected an afternoon rainstorm—typical for Florida summers—the intensity of this storm took them by surprise.

After the storm passed, viewers sent WINK News photos of rainbows, bringing a peaceful end to an otherwise chaotic afternoon in Lee County.