These unusual clouds are called lenticular clouds because of their lens-like shape and they tend to form at high altitudes, normally aligned at right-angles to the wind direction.
They have often been mistaken for UFOs in the past, due to their odd shape, but they are becoming more common these days. They are indeed another of mother nature’s wonders, truly a sight to behold!
Thanks for the nice pictures, Spooky.. what would be great is if you could give an explanation of how and why these clouds form.
~ Lexi
THEY ARE REALLY GREAT…
wow. those are beautiful. never seen anything like them.
and talk about seeing shapes in the clouds – the 7th one definitely looks like pizza dough being tossed…
does anyone knows whats the exact reason they form?
these clouds are formed solely around mountains and are caused by the interesting updrafts and barometric pressures found around them….. http://www.weatherwizkids.com/cloud.htm
thanks alot.Ilove clouds and always watch them.
I enjoied from these pictures
realy was fantastic.
ilinked your web in my weblog.
thank you
Are you sure they are forming more often or simply been caught on film more often!
I grew up in New Mexico and have seen these clouds nearly every September I believe, of my life since 1952. And I saw the Starship Enterprise in 1960 or at least it exactly resembled it. That is where they stole the design from. These are the weirdest and most amazing thing in the sky. I would give ANYTHING to go up in a chopper and see one up REAL close… And for a fact some of them ABSOLUTELY look like a UFO Ship. Nice shots though.
These are some real nice and very odd photos of clouds.
how awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, I really get into senic views of nature, these pics. are BEAUTIFUL!
im seeing these clouds right now outside my window, they have been hanging around all day, various sizes. but i live in somerset u.k and we have no mountains!!!
They form at high altitudes, normally aligned perpendicular to the wind–that’s why they are often around mountains, but don’t have to be.
Lent clouds have been known to form where mountains are not–result of shear winds created by a front. Types: altocumulus standing lenticularis (ACSL), stratocumulus standing lenticular (SCSL), and cirrocumulus standing lenticular (CCSL)
They form from stable moist air flow/temperature at crest of “wave” drops to the dew point, moisture in air may condense to form lenticular cloud–sometimes moist air moves back down into trough of wave & cloud may evaporate back into vapor–then you can get long strings of lent clouds–VERY COOL
Please watch my video of lenticular clouds on Mt. Rainier in Washington state USA. They are living breathing & moving objects of beauty. http://youtu.be/uPW1vpBgHEo