![]() ![]() Shelf clouds aren't dangerous but they ARE harbingers of an approaching strong storm. ![]() If you can't move out of the storm's path, shortly after the passing of the "shelf" you'll notice the temperature drop, the wind pick up, and you'll start to get rain. You can see just where that happens as a cloud feature called a "shelf" develops, marking the lowest level of condensation, and the path of that air as it rides up and over the wedge of cold air that's moving along the ground. This warm air cools as it gets higher in the sky and eventually cools enough that the moisture within it condenses. The heavier, cold air acts as a wedge and gets under the lighter warm air, pushing it upward as the storm moves ahead. As this air spreads out ahead of the storm it runs into air that's usually warmer and somewhat humid. Rain-cooled air, and cold air from deep within the parent thunderstorm drops to the ground. THOSE are the troublesome ones but, luckily, they aren't as frequent! Here's the simple process in which they form. There will be occasional shelf clouds that are accompanied by 60 to 70 mph, or higher, gusts. Marking the arrival of cooler air, wind and rain, they look intimidating but their bark is usually worse than their bite. With the lack of cool wind, maybe it wasn't a shelf cloud. It was the last day of a cruise and I motored into the ramp, typing up just as the storm hit with lightning so severe I left SPARTINA at the dock and hid in the nearby shelter. If you see a shelf cloud, it’s best to briefly enjoy the view while the cloud is still in the distance and find shelter before it gets too close.Numerous shelf clouds were seen early Wednesday across the QCA as strong thunderstorms moved into the area. The cloud came from out over Tangier Sound, passed me by and continued east up the Little Annemessex River. Image: A dark and distant shelf cloud above the Gold Coast on November 28, 2022. As this air spreads out ahead of the storm it runs into. These storms may also bring heavy rain and large hail. Heres the simple process in which they form. 00:00:25 Taylor Swift appears out of breath at Rio concert. ![]() While shelf clouds don’t usually won’t cause severe weather themselves, those associated with severe thunderstorms or squall lines can come with damaging straight-line winds. What is a shelf cloud Video, 00:00:43 What is a shelf cloud. Shelf clouds produced by thunderstorms are always preceded by a rush of dry and cold air ahead of the cloud, with rain arriving after the shelf cloud has passed overhead. Image: A ragged shelf cloud producing showers over the Sydney on November 27, 2022. This rush of cold air often occurs in a thunderstorm’s downdraught, where cold air rushes towards the ground before spreading out to create a gust front. Shelf clouds form when cold and dense air is forced into a warmer air mass by wind. Image: A large shelf cloud sweeping over the Gold Coast in southeast Qld on November 28, 2022. The storms caused about 20,000 customers to lose power. Technically called arcus clouds, shelf clouds usually appear as a broad arc across the sky that can sometimes appear to be rotating horizontally. Brilliant rainbows, menacing shelf clouds and dazzling lightning were seen as the storms passed. Image: Shelf cloud passing over the Sunshine Coast on November 27, 2022. Shelf clouds are, as the name suggests, large shelf-like clouds that usually form at the leading edge of a thunderstorm or along the boundary of a cold front. But what exactly is a shelf cloud, how do they form, and just how dangerous are they? Thunderstorms in Australia often produce mesmerising shelf clouds. ![]()
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