Rare formations · species
Roll clouds
A rolling pin on the horizon
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Spot it
A long horizontal tube detached from other cloud.
How it forms
A rolling atmospheric disturbance can organize moisture into a tube.
Read the sky
It marks organized air motion; nearby weather depends on its setting.
Where to look
Look along suitable wave or outflow boundaries, including coastal settings.
Little sky facts
Reveal fact 1
Volutus describes a horizontal cloud roll.
Reveal fact 2
It is separate from neighboring clouds.
Reveal fact 3
It may appear to rotate about a horizontal axis.
Reveal fact 4
A detached roll differs from an attached shelf.
Try this
Trace the entire tube from end to end.
Draw your own cloud ↗Read a little deeper
Conditions described here are places to look, not a global frequency ranking. Use local weather forecasts and warnings for decisions. Never look directly at the Sun.