A whirlpool is a body of rotating water produced by opposing currents or a current running into an obstacle. Any whirlpool that contains a downdraft – one capable of sucking objects beneath the water’s surface – is called a vortex. I was hoping for something more technically and complex. I know, look that up too ? Whirlpools can also be caused by winds, which may cause surface currents to switch direction, and consistent whirlpools are sometimes caused by geographical features which determine the flow of water currents in a region. Whirlpools may form wherever water is flowing, from creeks and streams to rivers and seas. Small boats may experience significant damage when passing through a whirlpool. A whirlpool is a body of swirling water formed when two opposing currents meet. Similar currents that exhibit a central downdraft are termed vortexes and occur where coastal and bottom configurations provide narrow passages of considerable depth. Get started. Whirlpool, rotary oceanic current, a large-scale eddy that is produced by the interaction of rising and falling tides. Do whirl winds work the same way ?