Wall Cloud?

[Jim wyman]

A friend of mine took this the night of 6/22/10 as a line of storms were passing through Southern MD. There were numerous wind damage reports. Some reports included statements such as "treee being twisted". Although the NWS office in Sterling has not reported any tornadic impacts that night, I was interested in seeing what appears to be a wall cloud structure in this photo. There were no indication on radar nor real time obsever reports indicating a tornado that night... I am still awaiting any reports from the NWS as to if there were any tornados responsible for the wind damage in the county.


Jim

 

[Bryan Stokes]

Hi Jim,

I'm not seeing a wall cloud in this photo. Perhaps an ever-so-slight lowering, but that's only if I look hard enough and try to make myself see something.

What features are you seeing?

Bryan

 

[Jeremy Jones]

To me, it looks pretty elevated to have a Wall Cloud or Lowering. Otherwise I can't see anything...

 

[rdale]

Some reports included statements such as "treee being twisted"

Trees get twisted by straightline winds, so hearing that wouldn't lead you to conclude one way or another.

I was interested in seeing what appears to be a wall cloud structure in this photo.

Agreeing with the above - I don't see a wall cloud either. Regardless, MANY MANY thunderstorms have wall clouds. That just means they are ingesting moist air, which is a common theme of storms. What makes a wall cloud of interest is persistent rotation. If it's not rotating, or if the rotation doesn't last, then the wall cloud has no significance.

 

[Danny Neal]

Agreed. Don't see a wall cloud. Might I suggest the underneath of a shelf/elevated RFB? What direction were you looking and was this on the forward or rear flank of the storm? Doesn't quite have the whales mouth appearance, but then again it is at night in a lightning flash. To me it sort of looks like a much less dramatic picture of Mike Hollingshead's May 28th, 2004 pictures. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/353579479_9e05fef055_o.jpg and http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/353582519_51cc865d59_o.jpg Obviously different storms/mode but upon seeing your picture I immediately thought of Mike's.

http://extremeinstability.com/04-5-28.htm - His account there, just another plug to Mike's site that he probably doesn't need by now

 

[Evan Bookbinder]

The cloud feature in the foreground of the photo is simply a good looking updraft base, nothing more, nothing less.

 

[Jim wyman]

Agreed. Don't see a wall cloud. Might I suggest the underneath of a shelf/elevated RFB? What direction were you looking and was this on the forward or rear flank of the storm? Doesn't quite have the whales mouth appearance, but then again it is at night in a lightning flash. To me it sort of looks like a much less dramatic picture of Mike Hollingshead's May 28th, 2004 pictures. http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/353579479_9e05fef055_o.jpg and http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/353582519_51cc865d59_o.jpg Obviously different storms/mode but upon seeing your picture I immediately thought of Mike's.

http://extremeinstability.com/04-5-28.htm - His account there, just another plug to Mike's site that he probably doesn't need by now

Danny,
This shot was taken to the east looking at the back side of the line as it just passed through...the line was travelling E-SE....

Jim