WATCH: Incredible 'tornadic waterspout' smashes into waterfront town

Wild weather has shocked residents in a small waterfront city in the US, who captured footage of a powerful waterspout travelling towards them.

Dave Perkins, reportedly from Fort Walton Beach in Florida, shared a video on Facebook of the large funnel cloud appearing to form just before it drops into the water.

The system then seems to pick up speed and momentum as it moves towards him across a Florida waterway.

As the waterspout charges forward debris from smashed buildings can be seen flying in the air and generating large splashes as pieces drop down into the water.

WEAR ABC 3 reports Mr Perkins' video also captures the moment the waterspout travelled ashore in Fort Walton Beach - appearing to strike powerlines seeing sparks fly into the air.

Mr Perkins described the strong storm to the news outlet, saying "water started coming up out of the Gulf, tore up one of the buildings, roof came off, boat flipped over, pieces of debris are falling out of the air."

He added: "I'd never seen anything like it and we were concerned about people on the island. That was our biggest concern, not knowing if anyone was injured."

7News Meteorologist Tony Auden explained, “it’s impossible to judge without seeing either the radar, or the structure of the clouds that formed this funnel, but judging by the ferocity of the winds (based on the debris) and the speed at which it formed, I suggest it’s likely this is a “tornadic waterspout”.

"That’s the same as a land tornado, and is formed from the rotating core of a thunderstorm. Tornadoes are generally much stronger than waterspouts, and cause more damage.”

According to WEAR ABC 3, the waterspout formed on Okaloosa Island before it continued to cross the water and struck the Fort Walton Beach area on Sunday at about 4.15pm.

The publication states there were reports of trees which had been downed, but no reports of injuries.