April 11, 2016 - DELAWARE, UNITED STATES - A double rainbow is an awesome meteorological phenomenon on its own.
But
when mammatus clouds appear at the same time... It becomes epic.
This
is what happened in the sky of Newark, Delaware on April 7, 2016.
In a double rainbow, a second arc is seen outside the primary arc, and
has the order of its colours reversed, with red on the inner side of the
arc.
Mammatus are pouch-like cloud structures and a rare example of clouds in
sinking air.
Sometimes very ominous in appearance, mammatus clouds are
harmless and do not mean that a tornado is about to form.
In fact, mammatus are usually seen after the worst of a thunderstorm has
passed.
Mammatus are long lived if the sinking air contains large drops
and snow crystals since larger particles require greater amounts of
energy for evaporation to occur.
Mammatus typically develop on the underside of a thunderstorm's anvil
and can be a remarkable sight, especially when sunlight is reflected off
of them. - Strange Sounds.
March 28, 2016 - EARTH - Here are more extraordinary cloud formations, as magnetic polar migration creates symptomatic evidence of Earth's monumental transformation.
Baffling mackerel sky phenomenon surprises many skywatchers in Mexico
This baffling mackerel sky surprised many residents of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico on March 26, 2016.
And guess how it is created?
A mackerel sky is a common term for a sky with rows of cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds displaying an undulating, rippling pattern similar in appearance to fish scales.
This is caused by high altitude atmospheric waves. Cirrocumulus appears almost exclusively with cirrus some way ahead of a warm front and is a reliable forecaster that the weather is about to change.
When these high clouds progressively invade the sky and the barometric pressure begins to fall, precipitation associated with the disturbance is likely about 6 to 12 hours away. A thickening and lowering of cirrocumulus into middle-étage altostratus or altocumulus is a good sign the warm front or low has moved closer and it may start raining within less than six hours.
The old rhymes “Mackerel sky, not twenty-four hours dry” and “Mares’ tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships to carry low sails” both refer to this long-recognized phenomenon.
Other phrases in weather lore take mackerel skies as a sign of changeable weather. Examples include “Mackerel sky, mackerel sky. Never long wet and never long dry”, and “A dappled sky, like a painted woman, soon changes its face”.
Spectacular mammatus clouds over York, UK
These spectacular mammatus clouds swept across the sky over York on March 27, 2016 transforming the city into a post-apocalyptical scenery.
The distinctive Mammatus clouds are believed to have been caused by turbulence in the cloud base due to a change of weather.
The Met Office says Mammatus clouds are among the more unusual and distinctive formations.
March 7, 2016 - SANTOS, BRAZIL - These stunningly spectacular fiery red mammatus clouds engulfed the sunset skies of Santos, Brazil during the months of February and March.
The photos were taken by Meire Ruiz and posted on her Facebook page.
Mammatus are pouch-like clouds that protrude down from the bottom of a thunderstorm's anvil cloud.
The storm's anvil consists of ice crystals but, as it spreads out at the top of a thunderstorm, some of the ice begins falling and cools the clear air below.
Despite popular misconception, mammatus clouds usually are an indication severe weather has passed and thunderstorms are weakening.
They are not a sign that a tornado is about to form.
However, mammatus clouds sometimes form on the upwind, or backside, of severe thunderstorms that at the same time are dropping large hail and unleashing 60-70 mph bursts of wind.
Storms have to have wicked updrafts of rising air, probably moving at 75-100 mph, to spread an anvil into the steering winds in the first place as a thunderstorm's anvil cloud naturally and easily spreads with the wind.
But, in most cases, mammatus can be found beneath the anvils of dying thunderstorms.
Here a good scientific article about the mysteries of mammatus clouds.
Mammatus clouds over Clifford’s tower in York. Photo by Karen Winship/ authorization by York Weather Station
January 9, 2016 - YORK, ENGLAND - These spectacular mammatus clouds engulfed the sunset sky of York, England on January 7, 2015.
Watch some amazing pictures and learn more about their formation below.
Mammatus are pouch-like clouds that protrude down from the bottom of a thunderstorm's anvil cloud.
The storm's anvil consists of ice crystals but, as it spreads out at the
top of a thunderstorm, some of the ice begins falling and cools the
clear air below.
Despite popular misconception, mammatus clouds usually are an
indication severe weather has passed and thunderstorms are weakening.
They are not a sign that a tornado is about to form.
However, mammatus clouds sometimes form on the upwind, or backside, of
severe thunderstorms that at the same time are dropping large hail and
unleashing 60-70 mph bursts of wind.
With the light of the sun setting, these weird clouds become magical. Photo: Russ Allen
The mammatus cloud is generally poorly understood. Photo: Hilary Howe
Like big udders or breasts forming in the sky. Photo: Craig Bloodworth
Awesome sunset sky. Photo by Andy Falconer
Photo by Andy Falconer
Storms have to have wicked updrafts of rising air, probably moving at
75-100 mph, to spread an anvil into the steering winds in the first
place as a thunderstorm's anvil cloud naturally and easily spreads with
the wind.
But, in most cases, mammatus can be found beneath the anvils of dying thunderstorms.
