By Daily Mail Reporter
Sinister shelf clouds have been looming over Virginia for the past couple of days as thunderstorms continue to plague the region.
The huge formations were hanging low over the state capital, Richmond, on Sunday afternoon, as shown in these images collected by WTVR.
While shelf clouds are not dangerous, their threatening appearance is hardly conducive to a cheery atmosphere.
Moreover, they are a reliable indicator that a thunderstorm is nearby and could be arriving soon.
The mid-Atlantic area has experienced a large number of summer storms over the last few weeks.
The storms have led to widespread power outages in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC.
On Sunday, tens of thousands of people in the Richmond area were left without electricity as numerous power lines were downed by falling trees.
The shelf clouds which accompanied the storms are caused by caused by high winds and a front between warm and cool air.
In particularly violent weather, shelf clouds can be so turbulent that they resemble tornadoes.
Sinister shelf clouds have been looming over Virginia for the past couple of days as thunderstorms continue to plague the region.
The huge formations were hanging low over the state capital, Richmond, on Sunday afternoon, as shown in these images collected by WTVR.
While shelf clouds are not dangerous, their threatening appearance is hardly conducive to a cheery atmosphere.
Stunning: Shelf clouds looming over central Virginia have provided quite a shock for local residents
Threatening: These remarkable pictures make the cloud look like an enormous wave
Amazing: But the shelf clouds are not dangerous, even though they are a sign of a nearby thunderstorm
The mid-Atlantic area has experienced a large number of summer storms over the last few weeks.
The storms have led to widespread power outages in Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC.
Dark: The Mid-Atlantic region has been affected by severe storms leading to widespread power outages
Nowhere is safe: The clouds have been photographed all around Richmond and the surrounding area
Unusual: The shelf clouds show a sharp distinction between warm and cool fronts of air
The shelf clouds which accompanied the storms are caused by caused by high winds and a front between warm and cool air.
In particularly violent weather, shelf clouds can be so turbulent that they resemble tornadoes.
Dark shadows: Virginia has seen little relief from bad weather after several weeks of storms
Driving towards the light: All these photographs were submitted by viewers of WTVR
