What kind of a cloud formation is this.

[Pburgh]

http://www.city-net.com/~babcock/sunset98.html

If you click home page and then photo gallery on this ladies web sit she has 4 different views. I have pictures at home that are somewhere in my massive amounts of boxes full of photos.

This was breath taking and a little frightening. I still have not found out what caused it. Anyone know??

[Colin]

Yes, I've heard of and seen other photos of these types of cloud formations - still haven't got an answer to what causes it... but I'm dying to know! :o Those types of cloud formations have also frightened me... they just look like a "fire" in the sky so to say...

[Anonymous]

Those are mammatus clouds. They form when downdrafts push water droplets under the cloud base. Since the droplets contain a high amount of liquid water, they require significant descent before evaporation. Mammatus clouds are usually seen during or after a severe storm, but don't actually cause severe weather.

[Pburgh]

Rob, actually the weather after these cloud formations was quite beautiful. The weather prior was not severe but was significant.

Colin, you are so right. They look like nothing you've ever seen before. Frightening yet oh so beautiful!!!!!!