In a statement here today, he said the exceptional cloud formation, which occurred for about 30 minutes from 10.30am was due to the forming of squall lines and bands of clouds called rolling clouds.
Squall lines is a line of thunderstorms that can form along or ahead of a cold front and normally occurred during the southwest monsoon season from June to September on the west coast of Sabah and also in the Straits of Malacca.
Rolling clouds happen due to vertical wind shear with significant differences in wind speed and direction.
Photographs of the unusual cloud formation went viral on social media, and it is understood were witnessed by residents in Langkap and Chui Chak, near here for about 15 minutes before it started to rain.
Similar incidents were reported in the west coast of Sabah on June 27; Kota Bharu, Kelantan (August 2015); Sungai Petani, Kedah (2014) and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in June 2012.
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