A Lenticular Cloud Over Hawaii
Can a cloud do that? Actually, pictured below are several clouds all stacked up into one striking lenticular cloud. Normally, air moves much more horizontally than it does vertically. Sometimes, however, such as when wind comes off of a mountain or a hill, relatively strong vertical oscillations take place as the air stabilizes.
The dry air at the top of an oscillation may be quite stratified in moisture content, and hence forms clouds at each layer where the air saturates with moisture. The result can be a lenticular cloud with a strongly layered appearance. The below picture was taken near Mauna Kea, Hawaii, USA.
Image & info via APOD
Credit & Copyright: Peter Michaud (Gemini Obs.)
Lenticular clouds:
http://www.crystalinks.com/lenticular.html
#naturalphenomena #lenticularclouds
Clouds make landscape photography all the more interesting. No two clouds are the same, which is what can make them so fascinating. Humans can't beat the beauty of nature with anything we make or design
ReplyDeleteEvery now and then, the wind coming over the Rockies will form a series of lenticulars, as it engages in a series of oscillations, like https://theweathergauge.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/lenticular-clouds.jpg?w=676
ReplyDeleteThose are days I'm glad I'm not in an airplane.