As I was driving home from work Monday evening I spotted a peculiar cloud formation hovering above my hometown. It reminded me of a scene from the movie Independence Day, when a city-sized UFO emerged from a roiling, boiling cloud of turbulence.

As a lukewarm weather nut I raced home, grabbed my point-and-shoot and drove to a nearby park which I thought would offer an unfettered view of said cloud.

See the pictures and video.

Recently such a cloud became a web sensation when it was photographed over Moscow. Our cloud, while not so well defined, still looked creepily impressive, as if E.T. had punched a hole through the overcast and would land the mothership and ask to be taken to our leaders.

Or maybe I have an overactive imagination. Whatever. It was still kinda cool.