Amazing Cloud Formations

Lenticular Clouds

Lenticular clouds are lens-shaped clouds forming high in the atmosphere. Because of their very distinctive shape it is not uncommon for people to mistake them for UFOs – especially if they vanish quickly. They make especially grand displays when they form over a mountain top giving the appearance of a halo. They usually appear at right angles to the prevailing wind direction.

Roll Clouds

Roll clouds (also known as Arcus clouds) are probably the most frightening to behold. Fortunately if you want to see one of these clouds you can – they form quite frequently in Australia’s Gulf of Carpentaria. Despite its regular appearance in Australia, it is still not truly understood how these clouds are formed.

Kelvin-Helmholtz Clouds

These are extremely rare clouds and when they do form they seldom last longer than a few minutes. They are formed by a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability which is when there is a velocity sheer over a continuous fluid (wow – that is complicated!) Interestingly it is this same effect which causes the curved ripples seen in the atmosphere of Saturn. There is no doubt that this is one of the most beautiful cloud formations of all.

Mammatus Clouds

Like something from a Dr Seuss book, these clouds are named for what they look like: breasts. Immense pendulous bulbs dangle below the main body of these clouds to give them their very distinctive look. What is most amazing is that these clouds appear around the same time as severe weather is about to happen – so they are a good warning system. They can stretch for miles and can last for up to fifteen minutes. No one knows what causes these clouds as yet but many hypotheses exist.










Weirdest looking mammaries I've ever seen Lol.

Red Lily wrote:Kelvin-Helmholtz Clouds

These are extremely rare clouds and when they do form they seldom last longer than a few minutes. They are formed by a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability which is when there is a velocity sheer over a continuous fluid (wow – that is complicated!) Interestingly it is this same effect which causes the curved ripples seen in the atmosphere of Saturn. There is no doubt that this is one of the most beautiful cloud formations of all.

Beautiful, elegant

Wow!! God!! you're AWESOME!!

@Red Lily, thank you for taking the time to dig those out along with their descriptions as well as how they are formed

Here is a cloud you can share with people you are arguing with.



Those are some beautiful clouds.

d/p

Thanks, Red.    (Oh, and you, too, Cruiser.)