This Perfectly Symmetrical Mushroom Cloud Broke the Internet Over the Weekend

Clouds of this type come together with heat and moisture, a sort of one-off occurrence that isn’t part of wider weather patterns in the area such as hot or cold fronts. They form quickly, and often dissolve nearly as fast. “There is a large, central updraft (buoyant plume of air) that shapes the overall cloud,” Jeff Halverson, severe weather expert at the Capital Weather Gang, told The Washington Post. “The tapered appearance probably occurs because drier, cooler air is being pulled inward and upward along the margins of the updraft, evaporating some of the cloud edges and ‘sculpting’ its unique shape.”

The cloud formation itself looks peaceful when contrasted with the dark rain emanating from beneath it, but those enjoying a relaxing day on the beach didn’t appear to be phased by the nearby storm.

H/T: LiveScience