rising cloud

[whitestuff]

Yesterday whilst watching the lightening I saw what looked like dark ribbons of cloud hanging below a big black cloud. As the cloud got closer the ribbons seemed to be sucked upwards into the main cloud mass.

Have you any idea what caused it and is this a common occurence?

[Candice]

Yesterday whilst watching the lightening I saw what looked like dark ribbons of cloud hanging below a big black cloud. As the cloud got closer the ribbons seemed to be sucked upwards into the main cloud mass.

Have you any idea what caused it and is this a common occurence?

I think that's scud but not sure.

[Paul Sherman]

Yes this is called "Scud" as candice says above. It happens more especially in the Countryside than in Inner Cities and Towns, plain and simple it is the moisture being sucked back up into the Storm where it has already rained, so if you see scud rising in front of you and the Storm is moving towards you, you will get pretty wet soon, Scud can also go onto form Wall clouds and Funnel Clouds. They are also attributed to 99% of all false Tornado Reports or (Sheriffnados) as we call them

Paul S

[Candice]

Yes this is called "Scud" as candice says above. It happens more especially in the Countryside than in Inner Cities and Towns, plain and simple it is the moisture being sucked back up into the Storm where it has already rained, so if you see scud rising in front of you and the Storm is moving towards you, you will get pretty wet soon, Scud can also go onto form Wall clouds and Funnel Clouds. They are also attributed to 99% of all false Tornado Reports or (Sheriffnados) as we call them

Paul S

In the last couple of years I've seen it a couple of times - two occasions it was really vicious looking - almost like jet black smoke and on both occasions we had a massive downdraught (squall) underneath it - last year's caused a number of boats in the Wash to keel over, pots in the garden flew everywhere and in 30 seconds it was all over. I know now if I see that to get the garden chairs put away quick before they fly away.

[Paul Sherman]

Candice

What you have described is almost certainly the "Gust Front" coming through and Not Scud clouds in your last post. If you look up at the gust front you can see up and down motion in the clouds, very turbulent black look almost like boiling clouds, this is usually followed by an intense gust or gusts of wind and the temp can drop about 5-10c in a matter of minutes. Once the gust front has gone through the storm follows shortly afterwards.

Paul S

[Candice]

Hi Paul - When I saw the really big one last year I spoke to Sam Jowett about it - it was like a maelstrom (no kidding) - I gave him a description of what happened which I posted on here at the time, his take on it was that it was possibly a mesocyclone - there was certainly a wall cloud starting to form (very scary). It actually moved a small tree about 6 inches.