Photogenic Wall Cloud near La Crosse, Kansas
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This is a photogenic example of a wall cloud — a well-defined lowering of the flat, rain-free cloud base beneath a severe thunderstorm. It marks the site of a strong updraft, where warm, moist air from the surrounding area is being drawn up into the storm.
The appearance of a wall cloud often precedes the development of a tornado. In this case, a funnel did briefly form a few minutes later, but it did not touch the ground.
