What were those bubble-like clouds over Wayne & Holmes counties? Mammatus explained

Bryce Buyakie, The Daily Record
·2 min read

This story has been updated with new information.

Mammatus clouds, pouches that form on the lower surface of cumulonimbus clouds, fill the sky over Wooster Wednesday night around the same time the area was under a tornado warning.
Mammatus clouds, pouches that form on the lower surface of cumulonimbus clouds, fill the sky over Wooster Wednesday night around the same time the area was under a tornado warning.

Another round of storms battered some Ohio communities Wednesday evening with heavy but brief rainfalls, 60 mph gusts and a confirmed tornado while producing picturesque bubble-like clouds at sunset.

Straight-line winds coupled with an EF1 tornado felled trees and some power lines with winds at 105 mph south of Shreve along the Wayne County and Holmes County border for 2.2 miles, the National Weather Service said in a preliminary report.

More precise wind speeds and specific touchdown location and path will be confirmed in the final report, according to an NWS spokesperson.

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Shreve tornado National Weather Service report.
Shreve tornado National Weather Service report.
Alexander Johnson took this photo of the sky from Melrose village in Wooster around 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down south of Shreve.
Alexander Johnson took this photo of the sky from Melrose village in Wooster around 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down south of Shreve.

Cooperative crews and those from AEP and FirstEnergy worked overnight and early Thursday morning to restore power.

Nearly two dozen customers were without electricity as of Friday morning across Wayne and Holmes counties, according to the cooperative, AEP and FirstEnergy.

Centerville Road was closed Thursday in both Wayne and Holmes counties while utility companies made repairs, said Brock Yoder, a supervisor with the Wayne County Engineer's Office.

Bubble-like clouds 

Alexander Johnson of Wooster took this photo of mammatus cloud formations around 9 p.m. Wednesday, near the time a tornado warning was issued for the area, which expired around 9:30 p.m.
Alexander Johnson of Wooster took this photo of mammatus cloud formations around 9 p.m. Wednesday, near the time a tornado warning was issued for the area, which expired around 9:30 p.m.
Unusual cloud formations hang over the College of Wooster campus Wednesday night. Wayne and Holmes counties experienced a brief rainstorm and a tornado warning was issued just before 9 p.m.
Unusual cloud formations hang over the College of Wooster campus Wednesday night. Wayne and Holmes counties experienced a brief rainstorm and a tornado warning was issued just before 9 p.m.

Rolling clouds filled the sky like an upside-down bubble bath burnt orange from the setting sun.

But what were these clouds?

The technical term is mammatus, which is derived from Latin for udder or breast, according to Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

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Lightning flashes across the sky over the College of Wooster Wednesday night.
Lightning flashes across the sky over the College of Wooster Wednesday night.

Described as the "drooping underside ... of a cumulonimbus cloud," according to weather.gov, pouches hung from the bottom of clouds providing an unusual sky that inspired some people to take pictures and share them on social media.

"Mammatus most often are seen hanging from the anvil of a severe thunderstorm, but do not produce severe weather," the website notes. They can also form with other cloud types and without severe weather.

The sky provided a light and cloud show Wednesday night that became a topic of discussion on social media. This photo was taken from the College of Wooster campus.
The sky provided a light and cloud show Wednesday night that became a topic of discussion on social media. This photo was taken from the College of Wooster campus.

These clouds can bring hail, rain and lightning as was seen in Wayne and Holmes counties.

A tornado warning had been issued for the area just before 9 p.m. and expired by 9:30 p.m.

Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com

On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Mammatus clouds spotted in Wayne and Holmes counties during storms