Rare phenomenon sweeps rural Maryland leaving locals terrified Armageddon is about to strike

By RACHEL BOWMAN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: 20:23 BST, 14 May 2025 | Updated: 20:34 BST, 14 May 2025

A scary-looking ‘doomsday’ cloud rolled through Maryland last week, leaving locals terrified a world-ending storm was brewing. 

The ominous white tornado-shaped cloud funneled down from massive dark billows and swept through a field in Thurmont, Maryland, on May 5, according to AccuWeather.

Local meteorologist Justin Berk shared videos from the area after forecasting heavy rain, damaging winds and thunderstorms throughout the day.

Terrified commenters expressed their fears over the video and speculated on what exactly the formation could be.

‘That would’ve terrified me lol,’ one person said. ‘New fear unlocked,’ said a second person. ‘Wow if I saw that I’d be heading the other way,’ added a third.

‘Looks like a [tornado] trying to form,’ another person said. ‘Super cool and almost scary!’ said a fifth.

However, the strange formation was actually a scud vacuum, which is non-threatening and slow-moving fog bank that has very different characteristics to a tornado.

‘Using the word “vacuum” isn’t a good way to describe scud clouds, because there’s really no sucking going on,’ said Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day. 

The ominous white tornado-shaped cloud funneled down from massive dark billows and swept through a field in Thurmont, Maryland, on May 5

The scary-looking ‘doomsday’ cloud was actually a scud vacuum, which is non-threatening and slow-moving fog bank

Scud clouds, also known as pannus clouds, are a type of low-lying fractus cloud that form beneath storm clouds.

They are known as ‘accessory clouds’ that occur below the main base cloud, according to the International Cloud Atlas.

‘When you get into a thunderstorm situation, there’s a lot going on at the base of those clouds,’ Day said. 

‘You can get these little vortices that will spin off the base of a cloud and take a piece of cloud with it. Scud clouds are basically pieces that have broken off larger clouds.’

AccuWeather claimed scuds often get called ‘scary-looking clouds’ by meteorologists because viewers report them as tornadoes or funnel clouds.

However, while scud clouds can appear like they are moving as they rise, they do not rotate like a tornado or funnel cloud, rendering them harmless, according to KBTX.

‘You’re going to get scud in a thunderstorm environment or a really strong cold front when there’s a lot of turbulence and moisture in the air,’ Day said. 

‘You can have scud in an environment where there could be or may have been a tornado, but it doesn’t mean there’s a tornado coming.’ 

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Rare phenomenon sweeps rural Maryland leaving locals terrified Armageddon is about to strike

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