Locals stunned as unusual roll cloud spotted over Brisbane
It rolled in over Brisbane’s west on Wednesday morning, stopping residents in their tracks, and now experts have shed light on just what this unusual cloud formation is. SEE THE VIDEO
An unusual cloud pattern that appeared to split the South East Queensland sky in two on Wednesday morning has sparked a surge of excitement on social media, as images of the strange formation went viral.
Brisbane residents took to social media to share images of the formation as it rolled over the city from the west.
People reported sightings from Russell Island, Redbank Plains, Wynnum, Fortitude Valley and Stradbroke Island, as the roll cloud stretched across much of the southeast.
“It passed over me on my morning walk on the east side, was super low and I felt I could nearly touch it. Then as it passed I noticed it was actually quite tall. Super weird,” one user on Reddit said.
“Literally very cool – brought a pretty chilly wind with it as it came over on my morning walk around the racecourse,” another said.
Higgins Storm Chasing said the phenomenon is officially known as a low-level roll cloud, formed by a weak southerly wind change pushing up the coast and sculpting the long, tubular band that drifted over Brisbane at dawn.
Other comments on social media described the formation as both eerie and spectacular, with many saying they felt the temperature drop as the cloud rolled over.
“I saw it here on the Gold Coast around 4.30am. I wish I could have taken a photo, but I was cat trapped,” Susanne Singh wrote.
While not quite a Morning Glory cloud, the rare northern Queensland phenomenon produced by several parallel cloud bands moving in the same direction, the formation has still excited weather watchers across the southeast.
“We saw it in Birkdale! The temperature dropped sharply as it rolled over us,” Amy Carmichael wrote.
“Oh wow. I was walking the dog and took photos and videos as this was quite an amazing scene. Felt the temperature drop and winds change as it went over me,” Jacinta Russell wrote.
Others said they felt as if they were inside the movie “The Mist”.
This comes as Cape Moreton recorded wind gusts of about 50km/h just before 6.30am.
