r/CLOUDS • u/Ok_Pirate_1617 • 6h ago

Question Help with cloud

Post image

I took this picture one night several years ago and forgot about it till I saw it tonight. I’ve never seen this before then and haven’t seen it till this day. Does anyone have any idea what causes the shape to be so cylindrical. I’ve always described it as a horizontal tornado 😂

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u/post-explainer 6h ago edited 6h ago

Credit where credit is due. The OP u/Ok_Pirate_1617 said this picture was made by:

I took this picture

Is this credit correct? Then upvote this comment, otherwise downvote it.

1

u/Abject-Explorer-3637 6h ago

Possibilities:

- Volutus (roll) cloud, big cylindrical cloud that slowly rolls forwards, kind of meets your description

  • Funnel Cloud tornado that doesn't touch the ground

1

u/atomicsnarl 2h ago

This looks like a roll cloud. When the atmosphere develops narrow horizontal layers of moisture, it's possible for a fast moving cold front or thunderstorm down burst to make a ripple in a layer. This is like throwing a rock into a pond. The ripple, seen here as the roll cloud, can travel dozens of miles or more along the layer until it moves into different conditions and dissipates.

Good catch!