Some fantastic photos have been taken recently of storm clouds that have made their way into our region. One photo opportunity people seem to enjoy is of shelf clouds

Terri Lang is with Environment and Climate Change Canada, and says this cloud usually means severe weather is on the way.

"This cloud forms right at the front, and often just as that shelf cloud moves over an area, that's when you get very, very strong winds and the intense rain," says Lang.

She says it's nice to look at, but it's important to respect the cloud, and what it can bring with it.

"The winds and the rain that come along with it, which is dangerous, like I said, when it hits," says Lang. "The lightning associated with these storm clouds, any thunderstorm for that matter. Lightning can travel a fair distance away from the thunderstorm. At least 10 to 20 kilometres away from a thunderstorm. That's the main threat of standing outside taking pictures as these storm clouds come in."