Huge Fog Cloud Over Beach In Santa Cruz, CA

Last week beach goers in Santa Cruz in California were surprised by a rare weather phenomenon. The picturesque Natural Bridges Beach quickly turned to a scene from an impending apocalypse movie, when a massive cloud formed over the sea.Show more

The system, which is known as a roll cloud, is a "low-level, horizontal, tube-shaped arcus cloud" and is mere moments rolled over the beach coming from the ocean and brought strong winds along with it.

The uploader says: "It was really hot in Santa Cruz, so I went down to Natural Bridges Beach. About 5 minutes after I sat down, the sky got dark, the wind picked up, and a huge fog cloud rolled in fast. Umbrellas were flying, sand was pelting me in the face and people were quickly leaving the beach. After only a few minutes, the fog cloud passed and the sun came out."

Witnesses said that beach umbrellas were flying, sand was pelting the swimmers in the face and people were quick to pack up their things and leave. But just as quickly as it came, the fog cloud passed and the sun came right back again.

This is a normal occurrence in other parts of the world, like in Australia. There they call it Morning Glory, because it only appears in the early hours of the day.