TAMPA, Fla. — Heavy storms moved through our community Friday evening. Around 7 p.m. a heavy storm was parked over downtown Tampa. It was barely moving. 

Our Tampa skycam captured an ominous sight with a low hanging cloud that looked somewhat like a funnel cloud. This is called a scud cloud.

Scud clouds are commonly mistaken for funnel clouds because of their appearance, hanging low under the base of a storm cloud.


These clouds can look scary, especially under a dark storm cloud. Unlike a funnel cloud, scud clouds do not rotate. They are usually wispy and loose in appearance.

A scud cloud is a type of fractus cloud and it often forms along the leading edge of a thunderstorm. Storms lift warm moist air where it becomes saturated, forming a scud cloud. Sometimes, scud can form very close to the ground.

Scud clouds happen all the time in our area and many times it gives the illusion that a funnel is developing.