There are many different types of thunderstorms out there, but none are as other-worldly as low-precipitation supercells, commonly referred to as "LP supercells." These storms have a rotating current of rising air known as an updraft, giving them the appearance of spaceships with a striated, rotating cloud base. Storm chasers refer to them as "motherships."
In eastern Wyoming on Sunday evening, just such a storm — the kind that can spawn tornadoes — formed near Newcastle, Wyoming, near the South Dakota border. Luckily, storm chasers were there to capture it in all its glory.
The result? A time-lapse video of the storm, which will give you a whole new perspective on what a severe thunderstorm can look like. Fast-forward to about 50 seconds in for the start of the more impressive imagery.
Here is a still photo of the same storm that the chasers sent on Monday via Twitter.
— Basehunters Chasing (@Basehunters) May 19, 2014