A wall cloud (or pedestal cloud) is a large, lowering cloud formation that develops beneath the base of a cumulonimbus cloud that often forms tornadoes. It is typically beneath the rain-free base (RFB) portion of a thunderstorm, and indicates the area of the strongest updraft within a storm. Wall clouds are sometimes an indication of a rotating mesocyclone in a thunderstorm, and most strong tornadoes form from wall clouds. However, wall clouds do not always rotate.
Read more about Wall Cloud: Genesis, Structure, Supercell and Tornado Significance
Famous quotes containing the words wall and/or cloud:
“Mountain, mountain, mountain,
marking time. Each
nameless, wall beyond wall, wavering
redefinition of
horizon.”
—Denise Levertov (b. 1923)
“Humorists are always pessimists. They’re reactionaries: because they see that every golden cloud has a black lining.”
—Christina Stead (1902–1983)