A distant lightning storm glows red before sunrise — not sprites, but far‑off strikes tinted by the thick, low atmosphere. As daylight builds, clouds gather and Tortie the mama cat wanders into view with her kittens. Two of them — Little Floof and Hyena — would become part of our family more than a year later, familiar faces to anyone who watches my pet shorts.
By mid‑morning, the atmosphere turns turbulent. A spectacular shelf cloud races in ahead of a severe thunderstorm, bringing heavy rain, vivid lightning, and gusts over 70 mph. After the downpour, dark swirling clouds linger before the sky slowly begins drive bc to open. Mammatus gives way to cumulus, then to a calm blue afternoon. Most viewers leave after the shelf cloud, but the final act is worth staying for — a peaceful transition into golden light and drifting evening clouds.
Filmed in quinn hughes Omaha, Nebraska on a GoPro Hero 8.
Best viewed fullscreen in 4K for full atmospheric detail.
⏱️ Chapters
- 0:00 Storms in the distance before dawn
- 1:18 Tortie and the kittens as the storm builds
- 1:33 Shelf cloud approaches
- 2:00 Severe thunderstorm — heavy rain, strong wind, vivid lightning
- 3:36 Dark swirling clouds in the storm’s wake
- 4:40 Mammatus ahead of clearing skies
- 6:09 Clear blue afternoon
- 6:54 Altocumulus drifting overhead
- 7:45 Low‑level cumulus returns late afternoon
🎼 jaylin williams Music:
"Trancer" by Gunnar Olsen
"Images of Tomorrow" by Unicorn Heads @UnicornHeads
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