Hunting the 'lonesome shelf' - Storm chaser's Blog

Storm chaser's Blog
Hunting the ‘lonesome shelf’

Storm chasing is not only about catching the biggest and scariest storms. For this seasoned storm chaser, even smaller ones can bring unexpected beauty.

Weather & Radar's Miloslav Rohacek has spent almost 16 years observing the sky in the heart of Europe and his home country of the Czech Republic.

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In the mini series 'Storm chaser's Blog', Weather & Radar's meteorologists share their wildest experiences chasing storms. As avid photographers and storm chasers, their passion for weather is a lifestyle that reaches far beyond work.

"To me, weather observation isn’t just about adrenaline; every novice storm chaser wants to see only the biggest hail and the largest tornadoes.

But as I’ve got older, I’ve realised that there is always something new to observe, whether it’s summer or winter.

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Low-topped convective shower from June 7, 2022.

Every convective shower or weak storm can teach us something valuable, which we can apply when observing the stronger ones."

No danger, just beauty

Recently, Milos ventured out to observe some severe thunderstorms that developed over Germany on July 12, 2024, which produced a so-called outflow boundary.

Did you know?

An outflow boundary separates air cooled by thunderstorms from the surrounding warmer air. It is similar to a cold front, typically causing a shift in wind direction and a drop in temperature as it passes. Outflow boundaries can last for over 24 hours after the original thunderstorms have dissipated and can travel hundreds of miles from their origin. New thunderstorms frequently form along these outflow boundaries.

This boundary advanced into central Bohemia. Combined with local showers and high dew points, it created conditions for the development of a massive shelf cloud.

There was no rain or thunder this time, just a huge "lonesome shelf."

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Weather & Radar editorial team

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