gust front/shelf cloud

[Justin McGinley]

So I am wondering what is the difference? I get them easily confused and could use a better explanation on them. I know both of them come out infront of the storm and thats about it. Also I found a video of horizontal rotation in a gust front is this anything to be worried about? Would anyone report it?

 

[Andrew Herron]

A gust front speaks to the air moving forward ahead of the storm, the shelf cloud is generally part of this gust front. The rolling (roll cloud) is caused by this same gust of air as it's moving faster than the air above it, where the moisture condenses into a cloud.

 

[Skip Talbot]

The gust front is like a mini cold front created by the storm's outflow, its often marked by a shelf cloud, but the gust front can continue on after the shelf cloud becomes a detached roll cloud and then just cloud debris. The gust front is also not the cloud formation itself, just the boundary between the cold outflow and environmental airmass its in. A horizontally rotating, detached shelf cloud is a roll cloud. The rotation is not tornadic and should not be reported.

 

[Justin McGinley]

Ok thanks guys. I was watching videos on youtube and getting confused.

 

[David C Watson]

Gustfronts can be pretty gnarly though.