This Rare Thunderstorm Is Even More Dangerous Than It Looks
I repeat, this is not a drill.
Is that an atomic mushroom cloud? Dude, no, that's a microburst!
Photographer James Ferguson had the unique chance to take stunning photos of a microburst in Phoenix.
What is a microburst, you ask? It's a column of air that essentially looks like a reverse tornado. This force of nature typically occurs during a thunderstorm when a storm cloud can't hold all the water and the hail it contains. It's the same idea as what happens when your stomach is upset and you just can't hold it in any longer.
A microburst can be destructive and cause great damage to whatever surrounds it — including planes and helicopters.
That's enough of the science lesson, let's admire the beauty of mother nature.
It looks horrifying and amazing at the same time.
Ferguson was covering a dust storm when he spotted a microburst. Luckily, his timing was perfect.
Here's a time-lapse video of another microburst in Phoenix, taken by photographer Bryan Snider, that shows you how a microburst moves.
What beautiful destruction.