Close encounters of the Texan kind: UFO-shaped clouds seen over parts of state following severe weather
- Pictures of lenticular clouds seen over Robertson and Leon Counties
- Normally form over mountains and are rarely spotted over low-lying ground
- Post-storm mammatus clouds could also be seen over Austin
- So far 18 people have died in Texas and Oklahoma because of the floods
Clouds baring a striking resemblance to UFOs have been seen in the skies over Texas following the recent severe weather.
The stunning pictures, taken by M. Davis, show rare lenticular clouds in the skies over Robertson and Leon Counties on Monday.
So far 18 people have been killed in the storms that have swept through Texas and Oklahoma, causing widespread flooding and devastation.
The clouds generally form over mountains - although in rare instances they can be caused by shear winds.
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Is it a UFO? The stunning pictures, taken by M. Davis, show rare lenticular clouds in the skies over Robertson and Leon Counties, Texas, on Monday
Odd shape: The clouds generally form over mountains - although in rare instances they can be caused by shear winds, such as those produced in the recent storms
The moisture droplets are pushed up a steep slope, condensing into cloud on their way, and forming in a spiral formation over the top.
Other than UFO-watchers, there are other people who seek these out - glider pilots.
Lenticular clouds imply rising air around the bow of the cloud, and gliders can seek these spots and get a free lift to some very high altitudes.
Post-storm mammatus clouds were also spotted over Austin on Monday.
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They are bulbous formations that are found under other clouds.
While most clouds have flat bottoms, mammatus have round pouches that are caused by sinking air.
They are extremely rare because they can only be seen when they are low in the sky and lit up by sunlight.
President Barack Obama said on Tuesday he had assured Texas Governor Greg Abbott that he could count on help from the federal government as the state recovers from the floods. Abbott has declared a state of disaster in at least 40 Texas counties, including Harris County, which includes Houston.
Abbott said he has deployed the state's National Guard and was worried the death toll could rise.
'It's devastating to see what I saw on the Blanco River when this tidal wave of water just swept away neighborhoods,' he said, recalling a disaster area in central Texas.
Strange formation: Post-storm mammatus clouds were also spotted over Austin on Monday
Round: The bulbous formations found under other clouds were seen over the Austin skyline on Monday
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