Ominous Summer Thunderstorm Strikes Sydney, Australia
An intimidating looking thunderstorm rolled across Sydney, Australia yesterday afternoon, bringing with it flooding rainfall and intense lightning according to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
The awesome cloud everyone took a picture of is called a shelf cloud. Basically, the cold air descending out of a thunderstorm flows out ahead of the storm (called an "outflow"). As the outflow moves away from the thunderstorm, it takes on a half-dome/bubble shape as it rides along the surface.
As warm, moist air rides up along the colder, denser air in the outflow, it condenses along the top and creates a striking shelf cloud.
Great pic! RT @wxjoules Sydney opera house with shelf cloud & lightning is the best one I've seen yet. pic.twitter.com/afaXcvqSTm
— Rob Hart (@rqhart) March 5, 2014
The view of the #SydneyStorm approaching from #Sydney Park, St Peters. Photo by Tamara Dean. pic.twitter.com/AdhatopyEX
— smh.com.au (@smh) March 5, 2014
The #SydneyStorm over #Sydney CBD as seen from Pyrmont. Photo by Brianne Makin. pic.twitter.com/V69kVXCzz4
— smh.com.au (@smh) March 5, 2014
@smh @dailytelegraph STORMS Coming. Sydney pic.twitter.com/dO2dNVGLzA
— Hiren patel (@Hirensyd) March 5, 2014
Monster Thunderstorm Shakes Sydney http://t.co/d8oIIoH7CJ pic.twitter.com/Maa9abZCk2
— BuzzFeed Storm (@BuzzFeedStorm) March 5, 2014
