'Tsunami cloud' floats above busy town like something out of an apocalypse movie

A ‘tsunami cloud’ floated over a north Indian city, creating a sky looking like something out of an apocalypse movie.

The area has recently been dealing with some particularly intense rainfall since last week.

Weather warnings have been in place for severe rainfall as monsoons hit Haridwar, Uttarakhand as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that the city will experience intense rain for the next three days.

But locals were left baffled as an enormous storm cloud floated overhead.

Massive shelf cloud appears in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. pic.twitter.com/vl7lU5yFjf

— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) July 11, 2023

Often seen along the edge of thunderstorms this popularly known ‘tsunami cloud’ is actually an arcus cloud or shelf cloud.

These clouds sit quite low and can signal that gusty winds are on their way.

The low-level cloud can also stretch across the sky and almost looks like a rolling tsunami wave frozen in the air – obviously giving its nickname.

The clouds aren’t commonly of immediate danger, which is a good thing as video show locals stopping the street to film and stare at the sky.

But once you’ve had a good old gawk at one, you should probably think about heading for cover because if you see one of these, something’s usually on its way. And it won’t be pretty.

Shelf clouds form when the cold air from a thunderstorm pushes warmer, moist air upwards, according to the Met Office.

And then, when this warmer air rises up, it cools and condenses to form into patterns.

So combine all of this with wind direction and you’ll sometimes get this tsunami lookalike in the skies.

Basically, if you see one of these, it’s a good sign to go and take cover because they only appear for the more powerful and extreme weathers.

A life saver rather than a sign of the apocalypse really.

Northern India has been battered by rain in recent days with flooded roads, landslides and destroyed bridges among the damage.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has urged people to avoid any unnecessary travelling and has asked tourists to put off any trips to the area until the situation passes, CNBC reports.

Videos of the towering grey cloud sweeping across the sky also appeared on Twitter over the weekend and have left viewers in shock, with one person writing: “Looks like day after tomorrow movie shot. Is world ending?”

Another said: “Oh. My. Goodness.”

While one compared it to another apocalypse movie: “Looks like a scene from the movie – ‘The Independence Day’.”

And a final said: "Gives apocalyptic feeling."