Scud Clouds Are Often Mistaken For Tornadoes - What Are They?
Social media was buzzing with pictures and videos of what many people in the Atlanta area thought was a tornado Tuesday evening. However, I instantly identified it as a 'scud cloud' and so did several of my meteorologist colleagues. What are scud clouds and are they harmful?A National Weather Service website defines them as, 'Low, ragged stratiform or cumuliform cloud elements that normally are unattached to larger thunderstorm or cold frontal cloud bases. Also known as scud, fractus clouds can look ominous, but by themselves are not dangerous.' Check out this website with pictures of 'fake tornadoes' that turned out to be scud, shelf clouds, or smoke.
Atlanta was experiencing thunderstorms on Tuesday night and several pictures surfaced of an ominous looking cloud near the Atlanta Braves baseball stadium. The same cloud feature was also photographed from other perspectives too. Meteorologist colleagues like Brad Nitz in Atlanta and James Spann in Birmingham tried to post explanations to offset the viral misinformation.
Storms in the Atlanta area during the afternoon and evening of July 1, 2025.
To be fair, the cloud photographed in Atlanta looked very similar to a funnel cloud or tornado. However, the lack of rotation was the key indicator that this was not a tornado. Nitz, who happens to be my classmate in the Florida State University Department of Meteorology a few decades ago wrote, 'That's a scud cloud. Warm moist air rising in a thunderstorm updraft and the water vapor condenses. It's harmless, but scary looking. No rotation is the key to recognizing scud, not tornado.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
6 minutes ago
- CBS News
Rip current risks rise as Hurricane Erin stirs South Florida beaches
A system linked to Hurricane Erin is expected to bring higher surf and dangerous rip currents to South Florida in the coming days, with Broward County beaches facing the greatest risk, according to forecasters. Lifeguards and fire rescue crews in Hollywood Beach are on alert as red warning flags and safety signs go up, urging visitors to avoid the water altogether. For those who do enter, officials stress staying close to lifeguard stands. Despite the warnings, many beachgoers continue to enjoy the sand and sun. "I just have to be on the lookout for it," said Nichole Billings, when asked about rip currents. "You can always just choose not to go in the water." Reanna Squire, visiting from the United Kingdom, admitted she only recently learned about the risks. "We're just being safe, staying in the shallow ends," she said, adding that the dangers don't scare her away. The National Weather Service said Hurricane Erin's offshore system is fueling the rip current threat. "The combination of the wind flow and the increasing swell agitates the rip currents along the coastline," explained Anthony Reynes, a meteorologist with the agency. Local officials caution that rip currents are frequently underestimated, even by strong swimmers. "They cause a lot of drownings," said Joyce Fuhrman, Chief of Marine Safety at Hollywood Beach. "Whether you're a strong swimmer or not, always check the warning signs and listen to lifeguards—conditions change hourly." Fuhrman offered one way to spot the hidden danger: "If you see waves breaking to the right and left but not in the middle, most likely a rip current is flowing right through there." Hollywood Beach has posted QR codes near lifeguard stations, giving beachgoers quick access to tide times and current conditions from their phones. Fuhrman noted that low tide is usually the most dangerous period, when rip currents pull the strongest. She also emphasized a critical survival tip: "Don't swim against a rip current. Swim sideways to get out of it." Forecasters say Wednesday and Thursday could bring the strongest rip current risks as the storm system continues to churn offshore. Fire rescue officials noted that warning signs may remain posted overnight if conditions stay hazardous. For now, authorities urge beachgoers to respect the water, know the risks, and when in doubt—stay out.
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
LA, California brace for 'hottest stretch of days so far this summer'
Temperatures are expected to rise Wednesday and peak on Thursday and Friday throughout the state. Officials are preemptively deploying firefighters to LA County. On one side of the country, Hurricane Erin is bearing down on the Eastern Seaboard. And on the other, intense heat is about to lower its own potential devastation on the West Coast. California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Aug. 19 that he's calling out firefighting resources in response to forecasts showing that Los Angeles County and surrounding areas could have temperatures ranging from the mid 90s to 100 degrees. Among the resources the governor is deploying are firefighters, 10 fire engines, a helicopter and two bulldozers. "Extreme summer weather is returning to California this week," Newsom said in a statement. "Now is the time to check the forecasts for your area and prepare for higher temperatures and dangerous fire weather. While the best thing we can all do is prepare now, the state is also pre-deploying resources to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire." National Weather Service authorities said the upcoming heat will bring Southern California "the hottest stretch of days so far this summer." Temperatures are forecast to rise Wednesday and peak on Thursday and Friday, the weather service said in an Aug. 19 advisory. Weather service officials said to expect highs of 110 degrees across Antelope Valley and the western San Fernando Valley. Temperatures in downtown LA were expected to be in the mid-to high 90s. A heat map produced by state authorities shows that much of California will experience extreme heat throughout the week. Prepping for fires California officials are on edge that the extreme, prolonged heat will spark wildfires around Los Angeles, prompting officials to preemptively deploy firefighting resources in LA County. The resources include water tenders which provide water to fire engines; handcrews that specialize in fighting fires in wild terrains; and bulldozers which are used to control the spread of the fire by removing vegetation that can serve as fuel. State authorities said predeploying resources has proven vital in the past to preventing the spread of fires due to extreme heat. "California is taking proactive steps to get ahead of upcoming fire weather," said Cal OES Director Nancy Ward. "By prepositioning firefighting crews, equipment, and other resources in high-risk areas, we can respond faster and more effectively when needed. This strategy is about protecting lives, property, and communities by ensuring help is ready when it's needed most." Risk of hot cars Wildfires aren't the only threat the extreme heat will bring. Child safety advocates have warned parents and guardians to keep children from being left behind in their cars which can quickly heat to oven-like temperatures. Kids and Car Safety, an advocacy group focused on drawing attention to the issue of hot car deaths, announced on Aug. 19 that they had recorded the 22nd child hot car death of 2025 after a child died in El Centro, California. The child was a toddler, according to reporting by KYMA-TV. The child's father was arrested in connection with the child's death, KYMA reported. According to Kids and Car Safety, the California toddler was the fourth to die in a hot car in the state in 2025. Last year 41 children died in hot cars, according to the advocacy group, up from 29 in 2023 but down from a peak of 54 in 2018.
Yahoo
14 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Heatwave hits Southern California; Parts of Los Angeles could see temps near 110 degrees
LOS ANGELES – Southern California is set to swelter as a heat wave has prompted extreme heat warnings and heat advisories. Temperatures will hit the triple digits in parts of the Southland starting Wednesday, Aug. 20, with the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angleses in the San Fernando Valley hitting 109 F on Thursday, Aug. 21. – according to a National Weather Service forecast. "SoCal is on the precipice of the hottest stretch of days so far this summer as the high pressure system over the desert southwest expands westward while at the same time onshore flow weakens," the NWS said in a forecast discussion issued just after 2 p.m. PT Aug. 19. Extreme heat warnings will be in effect on Thursday, Aug. 21, starting at 11 a.m. PT until Saturday, Aug. 23 at 9 p.m. PT in at least parts of San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Orange County will be under a heat advisory beginning on Thursday, Aug. 21 from 10 a.m. PT until Friday, Aug. 22 at 8:00 p.m. PT. The NWS said that relief from the heat could come starting Monday as the high-pressure system will weaken in earnest, with highs dropping back to "near normal" Here's where heat warnings and advisories have been issued, and the three-day forecast from AccuWeather. California heat warning map Southern California heat forecast Forecast provided by AccuWeather Los Angeles Wednesday, Aug. 20 High: 90 F Feels like: 94 F Low: 68 F Average: 84 F Thursday, Aug. 21 High: 93 F Feels like: 97 F Low: 69 F Average: 84 F Friday, Aug. 22 High: 94 F Feels like: 101 F Low: 70 F Average: 84 F Santa Clarita Wednesday, Aug. 20 High: 102 F Feels like: 104 F Low: 71 F Average: 96 F Thursday, Aug. 21 High: 105 F Feels like: 108 F Low: 71 F Average: 96 F Friday, Aug. 22 High: 103 F Feels like: 108 F Low: 68 F Average: 96 F Thousand Oaks Wednesday, Aug. 20 High: 91 F Feels like: 95 F Low: 66 F Average: 85 F Thursday, Aug. 21 High: 93 F Feels like: 98 F Low: 69 F Average: 85 F Friday, Aug. 22 High: 93 F Feels like: 102 F Low: 69 F Average: 85 F Simi Valley Wednesday, Aug. 20 High: 94 F Feels like: 98 F Low: 66 F Average: 92 F Thursday, Aug. 21 High: 100 F Feels like: 103 F Low: 70 F Average: 92 F Friday, Aug. 22 High: 99 F Feels like: 105 F Low: 66 F Average: 92 F This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Heat warnings and advisories issued for Southern California heatwave Solve the daily Crossword
