Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Hunting the 'lonesome shelf' - Storm chaser's Blog

16:00
27 July 2024

Storm chaser's Blog
Hunting the ‘lonesome shelf’

huntingshelf
© Miloslav Rohacek

Storm chasing is not only about catching the biggest and scariest storms. For this seasoned storm chaser, even smaller ones can bring unexpected beauty.

Weather & Radar's Miloslav Rohacek has spent almost 16 years observing the sky in the heart of Europe and his home country of the Czech Republic.

We love weather!

In the mini series 'Storm chaser's Blog', Weather & Radar's meteorologists share their wildest experiences chasing storms. As avid photographers and storm chasers, their passion for weather is a lifestyle that reaches far beyond work.

"To me, weather observation isn’t just about adrenaline; every novice storm chaser wants to see only the biggest hail and the largest tornadoes.

But as I’ve got older, I’ve realised that there is always something new to observe, whether it’s summer or winter.

shower1
funnel
wintertime
shelf
1/4
Low-topped convective shower from June 7, 2022. - © Miloslav Rohacek

Every convective shower or weak storm can teach us something valuable, which we can apply when observing the stronger ones."

No danger, just beauty

Recently, Milos ventured out to observe some severe thunderstorms that developed over Germany on July 12, 2024, which produced a so-called outflow boundary.

Did you know?

An outflow boundary separates air cooled by thunderstorms from the surrounding warmer air. It is similar to a cold front, typically causing a shift in wind direction and a drop in temperature as it passes. Outflow boundaries can last for over 24 hours after the original thunderstorms have dissipated and can travel hundreds of miles from their origin. New thunderstorms frequently form along these outflow boundaries.

This boundary advanced into central Bohemia. Combined with local showers and high dew points, it created conditions for the development of a massive shelf cloud.

There was no rain or thunder this time, just a huge "lonesome shelf."

A tornado too close for comfortread more
Beginner's luck - the first tornadoread more
Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Lightning strikes in dry conditions. Positive earth flashes. . . Monday 17 August 2026
On the left, massive thunderclouds are gathering at night, with several flashes of lightning streaking from them. On the right, a map shows the Ligurian coast near Genoa and Savona. Numerous coloured dots over the Ligurian Sea and along the coast indicate lightning activity.
Monday 17 August 2026

Positive earth flashes

Lightning strikes in dry conditions
Stormy weather in parts of Europe. Low-pressure system. . . Friday 21 August 2026
Weather radar showing a low-pressure system over the Alps and its track towards the Baltic States. Next to it, a flooded road.
Friday 21 August 2026

Low-pressure system

Stormy weather in parts of Europe
Drought brings flash flood risks. As rain returns. . . Wednesday 19 August 2026
Weather radar map of the UK and Ireland showing widespread showers, with a rain icon and flood warning symbol highlighting the risk from rainfall.
Wednesday 19 August 2026

As rain returns

Drought brings flash flood risks
All weather news
This might also interest you
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
Super Typhoon Bavi threatens Taiwan. Up to 1,000 mm of rain. . Weather Videos. Wednesday 8 July 2026
The image shows an intense tropical cyclone over the western Pacific, east of Taiwan and the Philippines. The centre of the system is depicted as a light purple and white vortex with a clearly visible eye, surrounded by a ring of red and orange areas indicating the strongest wind speeds. A white arrow marks the typhoon’s predicted track towards the north-west, in the direction of Taiwan. To the west of the storm lie the Philippines, with the cities of Manila and Cebu; to the north of these lies Taiwan, with Taipei. Further west, the Chinese coast, including Hong Kong, and parts of Vietnam can be seen. The coloured wind map shows predominantly green areas outside the storm’s core, indicating significantly weaker winds. White streamlines illustrate the typhoon’s anti-clockwise circulation in the Northern Hemisphere. The highest wind speeds are concentrated around the eye of the cyclone.
Weather VideosWednesday 8 July 2026

Up to 1,000 mm of rain

Super Typhoon Bavi threatens Taiwan
Historic Storm Éowyn arrives. On this day.... . . Saturday 24 January 2026
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList