WATCH: Giant smoke ring seen floating over South Bay

Staff Report

Santa Clara, Calif. – The freak weather plaguing California took a strange twist in the wind this week, as a mysterious circle of black smoke wafted over Santa Clara.

Shocked residents captured it on video as heavy thunderstorms bombarded the Bay Area.

Such a rare phenomenon usually takes place over active volcanoes, which can eject grey or white vortexes of steam and gas, sometimes as wide as 600 feet in diameter.

The cause of this black smoke circle remains unknown. However, it was associated with a powerful lightning strike that erupted moments before.

One theory is that the bolt ignited a fire that released the smoke. Another is that the jolt detonated a nearby telephone pole transformer, setting off the circular puff.

Others wondered whether the freak event was a dark omen of some kind.

One eyewitness, Rochelle Fernandes, who took the best video of the ring when it first arose, likened it to “the crown of Satan.”

(See her explanation and links in the comments below.)

Perhaps more troubling for San Francisco football fans, it wafted over Levi Stadium, home of the seemingly doomed 49s.