Is the German term describing a rotating funnel of air which has ground contact either over land or over water. Gernerally, "Windhose" is used to describe weak events, and is equivilent to the english (water- or land-) spout(s), however theoretically a "Windhose" or spout is not weaker than a tornado.

Spouts, or "Windhosen" are formed in a way very similar to the way that tornados form - however, and this is the only major difference - often it isn't directly related to rotating updrafts/the roatition of the "mother" cloud.

Spouts, or "Windhosen", can cause significant damage to buildings and other objects, and were even reported carrying cows through the air.

In German, Dust- and Sand devils are often, falsly, referred to as "Windhosen" - they aren't, because they have no connection to a cumulus or cumulonimbus cloud.