Heavy Rain and Flash Flooding in the West; Heat Expands in the Central U.S.

Monsoonal moisture will produce showers and thunderstorms with heavy rain over parts of the Southwest, Great Basin, and Central Rockies through Monday. Flash flooding is possible, especially in and around burn scars and in areas of steep terrain. Heat will persist across the Central U.S. early this week, spreading into the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic later this week. Read More >

Shelf clouds are often associated with squall lines, and many times they are reported as wall clouds, funnel clouds, or rotation. Below is a brief review of what a shelf cloud, wall cloud, and funnel cloud look like. Remember, that the main threat with any squall line is severe damaging winds associated with the shelf cloud, although brief spin-up tornadoes can occur. Often times, these tornadoes are rain-wrapped and short-lived.

A shelf cloud will usually be associated with a solid line of storms. The wind will come first with rain following behind it. It may appear to rotate on a horizontal axis.

Crawford County wall cloud

Wall clouds will rotate on a vertical axis, sometimes strongly. The wall cloud is much smaller and more compact than a shelf cloud and is usually under a rain free cloud base.

Scud clouds are often mistakenly called wall clouds or funnel clouds. In reality, these are just rising clouds due to increased low level relative humidity. They will not rotate and will rise slowly.

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Heavy Rain and Flash Flooding in the West; Heat Expands in the Central U.S.

Shelf Cloud versus a Wall Cloud