A localized, persistent, often abrupt lowering from a
rain-free base . Wall clouds can range from a fraction of a mile up to nearly five miles in diameter, and normally are found on the south or southwest (inflow) side of the thunderstorm. When seen from within several miles, many wall clouds exhibit rapid upward motion and
cyclonic rotation . However, not all wall clouds rotate. Rotating wall clouds usually develop before strong or violent
tornadoes , by anywhere from a few minutes up to nearly an hour. Wall clouds should be monitored visually for signs of
persistent, sustained rotation and/or rapid vertical motion. See
supercell.
"Wall cloud" also is used occasionally in tropical meteorology to describe the inner cloud wall surrounding the eye of a tropical cyclone, but the proper term for this feature is eyewall.
