As Novocastrians stepped out for their Thursday morning stroll, a spectacular storm cloud rolled over Newcastle.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology the shelf-like cloud was a stratocumulus mass moving over the region. It was so big it was clearly visible on satellite imagery.
"It has a very well-defined boundary between the patchy puffs of cumulus in the east and the shelf-like mass of stratocumulus coming in from the west," a Bureau spokesperson said.
So what are stratocumulus clouds?
They are the most common clouds on earth, often occurring below 2000 metres and this particular one was just less than 700 metres.
The low-level clumps of patches of cloud vary in colour from bright white to dark grey depending on atmospheric conditions and cloud height.
The bureau forecaster said this particular cloud formed with a sharp, noticeable boundary due to differences in wind strength, direction aloft and differences in moisture and temperature.
- Did you snap a photo of the cloud? We'd love to see it. Email your pics to alanna.tomazin@austcommunitymedia.com.au
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