Sure looks like gloom and doom! These clouds “are” associated with severe weather, but it’s a case of something that looks a whole lot worse than it really is. These are Mammatus clouds. The name “mammatus” is from the Latin: mamma (udder), due to the clouds’ characteristic shape. Read on for how and why these clouds are formed.
Picture #1 was taken by Mim in downtown Edmonton on Sunday, June 28th.
Mammatus Clouds 1 of 3
Picture #2 was taken by Murray. He lives in Ponoka and snapped this photo from his yard.
Hanging Mammatus
Picture #3 was take by Me. This is just south of Phoenix, Arizona about 4 months ago.
- Mammatus American-Style
DID YOU KNOW? Mammatus clouds hang under the main body of other clouds. They form on the back edge of retreating storms.
In storms, air moves in rapid “up draughts” and “down draughts”. Mammatus clouds are essentially pockets of air and water droplets which have descended in downward draughts. AS those pockets of air descend,…they warm slower than the air that is already below that cloud, and because of the difference in warming, the 2 layers breakdown, there is over-turning-and a lumpy cloud base is created.
The whole storm cloud might measure 0.6 of a mile-OR 1 km across. Each mammatus cloud or “udder” is several metres wide.
They are also referred to as “supplementary features” because they are arguably not clouds in their own right, says Gavin Pretor-Pinney, from the Cloud Appreciation Society.
SO if you see these clouds — grab your camera FAST! They usually last no more than five to 10 minutes. For more info, check out this website:
http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/
We are waiting for your Fresh Air Photo. Could be of the birds, the bees, the flowers OR the trees. ….OR the moon up above ! Just send in a picture that you love!