Overview

• The IPMA confirmed that the volutus roll clouds observed on June 29 along Portugal’s west coast were genuine atmospheric formations, not AI-generated images.
• Meteosat third-generation satellite images revealed a sequence of tubular clouds indicating a disturbed atmospheric flow over the Atlantic.
• The roll clouds formed over the sea around 15:30 and reached coastal towns between 17:00 and 18:00 as cooler air undercut warmer land air.
• Climate expert Mário Marques noted that these fleeting volutus clouds are more commonly seen in Australia and pose no threat beyond brief gusts of wind.
• Beachgoers in Peniche, Nazaré and Póvoa de Varzim captured the dramatic formations, which drew widespread social media attention and public curiosity.