- Posted September 5, 2012 by
La Crosse, Wisconsin
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Your best 2012 weather photo
Dramatic Cloud Sequence Captured Of Severe Thunderstorms
'They were absolutely stunning,' he said. 'It was awe inspiring.'
CNN meteorologist Sarah Dillingham explains the pillowy clouds are called 'mammatus' because of their 'breast-like' appearance. 'They are a typical cloud formation that we see with active or dying thunderstorms ... These clouds typically appear most impressive as the sunlight shines behind a trailing thunderstorm and reveals their incredible structure.'
- dsashin, CNN iReport producer
A series of strong thunderstorms passed through western Wisconsin, producing heavy rain, hail, and high winds. As these storms passed through the area, a dramatic series of images was captured. As the sun began to set, a series of Mammatus clouds formed.
After the series of images of photos (1, 5, 6, 7) were taken, the cloud formations quickly disappeared. In the distance, a few lightning bolts were captured as the light from the sunset disappeared.