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Weird cloud!

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John9929
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« on: December 24, 2008, 11:05:56 pm »

When the clouds broke this afternoon and started to move across the sky, they had this most peculiar edge to them. I have never seen anything like this before. It started while I was out shopping and I rushed home grabbed the camera and drove about a mile out of the village to get a few shots. This is a quick stitch in Imerge of two shots taken at 18mm and landscape mode.
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jjb
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« Reply #1 on: December 24, 2008, 11:18:34 pm »

Great image John i seen the cloud as well it i have not seen anything like it a good you got it captured.
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« Reply #2 on: December 25, 2008, 01:41:38 am »

Great shot John. I don't think I have ever seen anything quite that flat before. I've seen something similar in the Sierra Nevadas in Eastern California where the clouds hug the form of the mountain in what they call the "Sierra Wave", but they curve down the face. This looks like a tabletop made of cotton, or batting waiting to be stuffed into a cushion. Is that a flat topped mountain or is the mountain enveloped in the cloud? Just curious. Incredible shot. Thanks.
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John9929
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« Reply #3 on: December 25, 2008, 02:42:28 am »

Hi Richard, Happy Christmas!

I see what you mean about the shape, but the horizon in this case is the horizon, the nearest mountains would be probably 30+ miles away! Yes I have heard of Sierra Wave and sometimes we would get cloud creeping down the side of Cave Hill above Belfast but not so dramatic as in the Sierra's, and mostly early in the morning, but I've never seen anything quite like this. I was talking to Martin earlier and I told him that I thought that cloud must have been 150-200 feet deep, and maybe even a bit less. The images don't really do it the justice as seen with the eye. A number of other people including my brother and neice also remarked that they had noticed it too. I don't know what the dark pointed cone is, and why it should be pointed like that, this is baffleing us at the minute. A couple of days ago the sky cleared as well for about an hour or so, and I got a lovely display of Virga with some Lenties as well. In 2008 I have seen some of the strangest weather here that I can remember in almost sixty years! I hope 2009 is as good. I appreciate your interest in the image, I would love to know what it is as well! I have just found out that it is visible on today's satellite images, have a look at this!
« Last Edit: December 25, 2008, 03:18:35 am by John9929 » Report Spam   Logged

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« Reply #4 on: December 25, 2008, 10:40:28 am »

That is one strange cloud John, it looks like a huge slab of concrete. I'm guessing it is a layer of stratus or stratocumulus but I don't know why it has such a straight edge or why it has such a dramatic corner. I don't think I have seen that shape before. Good job you got some images.

Now I know why I didn't see it, according to that SAT24 animation it would have passed over here with a clearance to the rear when it was dark!
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Roman White
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« Reply #5 on: December 25, 2008, 01:23:46 pm »

Beautiful capture, John.  Smiley It doen't look so weird to me after seeing the satellite animation. (Recently I saw very similar to that moving edge of clouds on sat. image in my area but had seen nothing so wonderful as you have captured.)
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« Reply #6 on: December 25, 2008, 01:31:39 pm »

Thanks for the satellite image John. It really does show the straight lined cloud mass moving across the land area. May not see anything like that for while.
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brianb
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« Reply #7 on: December 27, 2008, 06:29:24 am »

Quote
they had this most peculiar edge to them. I have never seen anything like this before.
Funnily enough the cloud over Cross Fell looked liked this as seen from the M6 this afternoon - spilling across from the other side, air warms as it starts to flow down the "downwind" slope & so the droplets evaporate leaving a clear sky.
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