Definition
Low, ragged clouds — usually fragments of stratus or cumulus — that drift below a higher cloud layer, typically in damp, unstable, or windy conditions near the surface.
Plain English
Torn-looking, low-hanging cloud bits that scoot along underneath the main cloud deck, often near hills, ridges, or in rainy weather.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter scud when evaluating low weather, visibility, and whether there is enough room to fly safely below the clouds.
Derivation
From an old Scandinavian or Norse root meaning to dash or hurry along — the same idea behind 'scudding' across the sky. The name fits because scud clouds appear to race past beneath the higher overcast.
Why Pilots Care
Flying into scud can quickly lead to loss of visual references and unintended entry into instrument conditions.
Grounding Statement
Picture torn pieces of low cloud sliding under a gray overcast while rain is nearby.
Intuition Check
Scud does not mean any cloud in bad weather. It means low, ragged cloud fragments below a larger cloud layer, often a warning sign that conditions are poor or worsening.
Example Sentence 1
On the ridge crossing, scud was forming below the overcast, and the pilot turned back rather than press on.
Example Sentence 2
Scud under a low ceiling forced the flight to divert to an alternate airport.