Cloud Gazing
If you’ve got a spare hour or so, what better way than to pass the time than lounging around, watching the balletic performance of clouds, especially if you’ve got someone to keep you hydrated with drinks during the performance.
There’s quite a dramatic scene being played out here which culminated in an impressive thunderstorm just a few hours later.
The upper clouds are Cirrus uncinus which are composed of gently falling ice crystals at about 20 000’. They’re also known as Mares tails and were a useful wind warning to Mariners and would make ‘tall ships carry low sails’.
The lower cauliflower clouds are Cumulonimbus calvus which grow rapidly, up to around 6500’ and are powered by the plentiful solar energy above. It may progress to form a Cumulonimbus capillatus and can reach up to 60 000’ making it the tallest structure on Earth. In the classification of clouds they are denoted as CL9, which may well be the origin of the phrase ‘on cloud 9’.
Pilots will often give these Cumulonimbus clouds a wide berth due to the turbulence and high water content which can lead to large amounts of ice forming on the aircraft.
C capillatus are the classic thunder and lightning storm clouds and may contain as much energy as 10 atomic bombs!
What’s even more amazing is that I’ve just seen an upside down rainbow, just this minute!!
Maybe that’s just too much nerdiness for one day, but if anyone is interested, let me know and I’ll post it.
Cloud Gazing
If you’ve got a spare hour or so, what better way than to pass the time than lounging around, watching the balletic performance of clouds, especially if you’ve got someone to keep you hydrated with drinks during the performance.
There’s quite a dramatic scene being played out here which culminated in an impressive thunderstorm just a few hours later.
The upper clouds are Cirrus uncinus which are composed of gently falling ice crystals at about 20 000’. They’re also known as Mares tails and were a useful wind warning to Mariners and would make ‘tall ships carry low sails’.
The lower cauliflower clouds are Cumulonimbus calvus which grow rapidly, up to around 6500’ and are powered by the plentiful solar energy above. It may progress to form a Cumulonimbus capillatus and can reach up to 60 000’ making it the tallest structure on Earth. In the classification of clouds they are denoted as CL9, which may well be the origin of the phrase ‘on cloud 9’.
Pilots will often give these Cumulonimbus clouds a wide berth due to the turbulence and high water content which can lead to large amounts of ice forming on the aircraft.
C capillatus are the classic thunder and lightning storm clouds and may contain as much energy as 10 atomic bombs!
What’s even more amazing is that I’ve just seen an upside down rainbow, just this minute!!
Maybe that’s just too much nerdiness for one day, but if anyone is interested, let me know and I’ll post it.