They are cloud teats.

Rarely see them in the usually tranquil Pacific Northwest. I can count on one hand the times I have witnessed them.
Indicator of un-stability usually associated with thunderstorms. IICR

How cool! I've never seen them for real.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammatus_cloud

The only time I've seen them was here in NC right around a tremendous storm. I tried to get pictures but these are notoriously ephemeral creatures.

I check out clouds here whenever there are clouds. I'm hoping to see this some day...just before I head for the basement.

I'm in Alberta and I see Mammatus with most storms we get. Maybe it has something to do with elevation or something.

BTW, if you do see Mammatus the tornado has already passed you by

So far, since 2004, I haven't witnessed any tornadoes in St. Paul. I hope I never do.

I know, sounds so pessimistic but it's all statistical. Well, maybe YOU won't witness it but St. Paul will. My grandparents lived (and now uncle lives) just 5-10 min north of Roseau (on the Canadian side of the border) and they've had 2 within a mile or so of their house in the last 25 years. I live pretty far 'north' for strong tornadoes (we get tons of weak ones) and yet an F4 passed a half-mile or so from my house when I was 12. And I'm not in tornado alley. I know, I'm such a comforting person, aren't I? lol. Put it this way...I'm a Canadian who has lived in the northern most sections of 2 provinces, and yet I've seen more funnel clouds than most people in tornado alley will see in a lifetime. Why? I dunno. If you'd like, I'll do my best to avoid the Twin cities area

But anyhow...mammatus don't just occur in tornadic storms, they can occur in any thunderstorm and are usually on the backside and are more likely when the storm is weakening...that's what I meant about missing the tornado I've seen it many many times on garden variety boring storms

They aren't common, though, and they are an indication of some interesting weather.

a bit. Thanks!

Thanks for the great photo.

Wow!

Savor the moment if it ever comes. I might still have the photograph at home somewhere - this was way before digital photos became affordable.

Whatever that beastie is, it sure has huge reproductive organs . . .

I could see Mt. Rainier to the south, the Cascades in the east and the Olympics in the west. Can only see the Olympics and Cascades when walking or driving as they are too many buildings between us and Mount Rainier now.

We lucked out with good snowpack this year, so I can't complain about the clouds and not being able to see lovely Mount Rainier most days. Glad you enjoyed the picture. It's from the entry on Lenticular Clouds at Wikipedia.

Reminds me a bit of Mt Fuji in Japan...

that is, the "classic" type of volcano that is common to the Pacific Rim. The perception of symmetry depends on the perspective from which you're viewing each mountain.

riding the ferry from Mulkiteo home to Whidbey, gorgeous clear summer evening, and clicked on the mountain glowing all pink from the sunset.

Jawdropping sight.

We both had the same number on our post !

For just a moment, before the rain veil came back down. And it was blurry. You can see it pretty well if you hike up in the Cascades on a clear day. I did get a pic of it that came out well flying east, except well, there is the window there.

I'm glad you got a good one. Do you have one of those photobucket accounts?
I don't do them, but I'd love to snag that view you caught from the water.

This was back in the '80's. Lost a lot of pics and negatives in one of my many subsequent moves.

And beautiful!

Thanks. R&K

Mammatus clouds usually accompany severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Cool pics, thanks!

Diane
Anishinaabe in MI & mom to Leo, Taz & Nigel, members of Dogs Against Romney, Cat Division
"Dogs Aren’t Luggage Even Though They Are Lower Life Forms--HISS!”

See comment #10

She said they've never seen anything like it. Now they need a new roof.

Those clouds would have freaked me out. Front Range weather can change in an instant and those look awfully menacing!

yikes, I heard Colorado Springs has up to 8 inches of hail, mixed with rain, and mud... see here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47722386/ns/weather/#.T9EG6461m5Q..

It came from the East, heading toward Pikes Peak, when I noticed it. My wife said there was a huge thunderhead to the east. There was hail the size of golfballs and baseballs, a lot of wind and flash flooding. The temperature seemed to drop 15 degrees in just a few minutes...

I'm in the square state too, in Denver

where my mom was raised.

Hope there wasn't much damage to living things or possessions.

It was very strange and happened in minutes. No thunder or lightning. The wind blew my screen door off and blew my trash can all the way to my back fence. My girlfriend's car got major hail damage and her house got flooded. Then it was gone. Crazy.

I saw clouds like that on a TV commercial, so I know its true.

but when I lived in Oklahoma, they usually popped up before nice thunderstorms.

..that you were the first to mention "breastfeeding"...

Snarf.

Seriously, first time I saw clouds like that was in the late '80s in Greeley. They were in motion, the whole cloud bank was moving while the individual parts seemed to have a slow vertical spin going on. Moved the cars under cover just in time; hail on the west side was golf ball size, toward downtown it was baseball size, east of town toward Kersey it was softball size and killed some cattle. Lots of property damage, car lots were full of brand new vehicles that looked sledge-hammered, windows shattered everywhere, siding stripped off the side of the house where I was living at the time, and a neighbor's prized VW Thing was utterly destroyed.

Since then, if I'm out and about and see clouds like that I pull into the nearest car wash; a few quarters keep the car from getting pelted.

Yikes.

But that's just me...

Seriously, beautiful...but scary looking. Never saw anything like that before.

Very distinct shapes. Beautiful but sorry if you incurred any damage.

sent me a pic yesterday of marble-sized hail. said it was 77 degreees out. wtf!?

Colorado Springs? What the hell was I doing there? Were there any cattle mutilations? Sometimes I get the munchies when I'm flying around partying.

they seriously considered blowing the whole thing up.

wow.
thanks for showing us.

But you don't really have to panic unless you see them start to rotate...

or is it The Manitou ?




awesome pics

Just north of the Springs, the Denver area had some tornado warnings.

And wondered why there were cots all over the place. I had no idea that the front range was getting hammered

Those creepy freaks.

Just...wow.

I have never seen such a thing.

Gorgeous!