Kirkby Thore: Stunning shelf cloud captured over Cumbria

A photographer has described a striking shelf cloud over Cumbria as "without doubt the best cloud formation I have ever seen in the UK".

Landscape photographer Jason Hudson took the shot at Kirkby Thore on Tuesday night.

The dramatic-looking shelf clouds are a sign of stormy weather to come and they can form on the leading edge of thunderstorms.

BBC weather forecaster Jen Bartram said the image was "beautiful".

A video showing a shelf cloud forming over Dorset was also captured on Monday evening.

Skies across the UK have seen some spectacular light shows over the last few nights - it is estimated there were more than 30,000 lightning strikes on Sunday and Monday.

BBC Weather said overall, the country is still pretty warm following the summer. The ground temperatures, sea temperatures and the air directly above the surface are all holding plenty of energy.

When weather systems start to push in from the Atlantic, with much cooler air higher in the atmosphere, they are energised or destabilised by the warmth beneath which is the perfect formula for thunderstorm development, it said.

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