35+ Weird Cloud Pics People Captured on Camera Proving the World Is a Scary Place

The natural world is full of surprises, and sometimes these surprises come in the form of eerie and unsettling cloud formations. However, these weird and beautiful shapes also remind us of nature's sheer power and beauty. From ominous storm clouds to unusual and whimsical cloud patterns, the sky never ceases to amaze us with its endless creativity. These photos showcase the fascinating and diverse ways clouds can morph and transform, proving that the world is both scary and wonderful in equal measure.

Roll Around

No, this isn't a roll of fluffy cake for you to chomp, but an actual roll cloud! Roll clouds are a rare type of arcus cloud that appears as low, horizontal, tube-shaped clouds detached from other cloud features. They roll about a horizontal axis like a solitary wave called a soliton.

The Morning Glory cloud in Queensland, Australia, is a famous example of this phenomenon. Coastal roll clouds have been observed worldwide, including California, the English Channel, and Brazil.

A Shelf of Magic

Who said clouds couldn't make a difference? These beautiful, mesmerizing clouds over this valley make it look like a path leading directly into The Shire.

This is a shelf cloud, a wedge-shaped arcus cloud attached to the base of a parent cloud, usually a thunderstorm. It may be mistaken for a wall cloud, as it appears as a wall made of clouds. It can turn any regular sight into one full of magic and possibilities.

Sinister Presence

If you can stand below a formation of Undulatus Asperatus, you'll know what it means to stand in the presence of sinister greatness. You can't look away but can't help the ominous shiver.

Undulatus Asperatus, which roughly translates to agitated waves, may look troubling but most often dissipate with no storm in sight. The Plains states of the United States frequently experience these, especially during midday or morning hours after convective thunderstorms.

A Night Time Experience

Behold, the magical Noctilucent clouds! These wispy formations, made of shimmering water ice crystals, are like the "ragged edge" of a much brighter and more pervasive polar cloud layer called polar mesospheric clouds. They shine bright in the deep twilight, a sight to behold in the summer months between latitudes 50° and 70° north and south of the equator.

Though discovered just in 1885, noctilucent clouds continue to dazzle us with their whimsical nature, leaving us enchanted and in awe of the wonders of the upper atmosphere.