Reports that have been circulated indicate to me that they are quite real. And I have developed an electromagnetic energy field based theory for how they are often being formed. You would have to be pretty good at physics to understand it.

It proposes in part that under the right conditions, fault zones can act as a type of “ground” for geomagnetic energy stored in the upper atmosphere. It travels towards the fault zone something like an invisible, wide area lightning bolt and helps create the clouds along the way.

There are two clues, among others, to their existence that could be important.

First, I have been told that they can form out in the ocean over an active fault zone. That would seem to me to eliminate the popular theory that they always result from the release of steam or warm air from the vicinity of a fault zone. The deep water would act as a buffer and make that unlikely. But that would be compatible with an electromagnetic theory for their formation.

Second, some of them can reportedly form high in the atmosphere in a matter of seconds. And I believe that they can also quickly disappear. That would also tend to eliminate steam type theories and favor electromagnetic energy field based ones.