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Signs of a storm: Looming shelf cloud in Manchester

08:00
21 July 2025

Signs of a storm
Looming shelf cloud in Manchester

Shelf cloud looming over rows of brick houses, with the dark, dense cloud formation stretching horizontally across the sky, signalling an approaching storm.A large shelf cloud was seen in Pemberton, Greater Manchester. - © Krzysztof

On a stormy weekend, a large shelf cloud was snapped, passing over homes in Greater Manchester.

Pictured by a Weather & Radar user, the cloud was seen in Pemberton. These typically appear ahead of thunderstorms, which were widespread across England on Sunday.

Forming when cooler air flowing from a storm lifts warmer air ahead of it creating condensation. If you see a shelf cloud, it's a good indicator that a thunderstorm is approaching.

More pictures from last weekread more
Ryan Hathaway
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