Onlookers in Cobb County, Georgia, were struck with fear on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, when they looked in the sky and saw what looked like gray clouds swirling above them.
Metro Atlanta had been getting heavy rain of late along with alerts about possible hail and yes, tornadoes.
Was That a Tornado in Cobb County?
According to meteorologists, what occurred that day in Cobb was not a tornado, but what is known as a “scud cloud.”
What Is a Scud Cloud?
A scud cloud, also known as pannus cloud or fractus cloud, is a low-hanging, ragged cloud formation often seen beneath other clouds, particularly during thunderstorms.
They are frequently mistaken for funnel clouds or tornadoes due to their appearance and movement, but scud clouds are harmless and lack the organized rotation of those more dangerous formations.
Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says in Wyoming, scud clouds are frequent.
“When you get into a thunderstorm situation, there’s a lot going on at the base of those clouds,” Day is quoted as saying. “You can get these little vortices that will spin off the base of a cloud and take a piece of cloud with it. Scud clouds are basically pieces that have broken off larger clouds.”
Appearance and Formation:
- Scud clouds are typically low-hanging, ragged, and detached from the main cloud base.
- They form when warm, moist air rises and condenses at lower altitudes than the main cloud base, often due to mixing with cooler air descending from the storm.
- This condensation can create the appearance of swirling or rotating, especially when they are pulled upward into the storm’s updraft.
- Scud clouds can be associated with rain or precipitation, but they are not inherently dangerous.
Distinguishing from Funnel Clouds and Tornadoes
The key difference is the lack of rotation. Scud clouds, while sometimes appearing to spin, lack the organized, cyclonic rotation of a funnel cloud or tornado.
Scud clouds are also generally more ragged and less defined than the smooth, cone-like shape of a funnel cloud.
Final Word
No, thst wasn’t a tornado. It was a scud cloud. They are often found near the base of the main cloud but are not connected to a visible wall cloud (a rotating cloud base from which tornadoes can develop).