Apocalyptic: HUGE CLOUD ROLLS TOWARDS RHODE ISLAND

The low-lying roll cloud spanned across the horizon at the shoreline of Rhode Island with viewers claiming the ominous sight looked like the apocalypse
Chilling video has emerged of what appeared to be an apocalyptic vision as a thick rolling cloud sweeps across the seafront in the US.

In a video taken by Jim C on a ferry, the impressive cloud spans hundreds of miles along the Old Harbor on Block Island off the coast of Rhode Island.

Block Island Tourism said the phenomenon appeared last Saturday. It may simply have been just a rare weather phenomenon, but the chilling sight led many viewers to reach their own sensational conclusions.

Some related the weather phenomenon to some "doomsday" vision sent by God.

One said: "Perhaps a sign before Passover that God has sent a plague to convey his dissatisfaction with certain things."
Another one quoted a verse from the Bible and wrote: "Luke 21:11 Verse Concepts and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven."

Others likened the sight to a scene from apocalyptic blockbuster the Day After Tomorrow.

The weather phenomenon is known as a roll cloud. Explaining the sight, one viewer said: "That happens when a cold front passes – not unusual – it snowed this morning and by midday, was beautiful outdoors."

Bonnie Diamond, press officer at the Met Office told Daily Star Online: "The cloud in this picture looks like an Arcus cloud, of which there are two types – shelf cloud and roll cloud.

"These are long, thin, low-level clouds typically associated with unstable air and thunderstorms."
It forms when a cold downdraft from a cumulonimbus cloud reaches the ground and the cold air spread rapidly along the ground, pushing existing warm moist air upwards.
And as this air rises, water vapour condenses into the patterns associated with Arcus clouds.