Cozy Cumulus says WOW!
Thanks Sharon from Portland for sending me this email with this spectacular phenomenon of nature!
These clouds (which look like fluffy flying saucers to me!) were seen recently in Oregon over Mt. Ranier. Let me put on my glasses and get scientific for a second:
Called “lenticular clouds” they are caused when the winds are just right so when they flow over Mt. Rainier the air gets pushed upward where it cools and condenses into clouds. Depending on the winds you can get some amazing clouds formations people witnessed just this past Friday.
Can you say Close Encounters of the Third Kind?
People were pulling over on the freeway to stop and take pictures – I would have too!
Lenticular clouds are usually a sign of rain within 24 hours because typically the moist flow that precedes a storm around here is the perfect set up for these clouds.
If you ask me this looks like an old 70′s album cover! See, my brain doesn’t really think like a scientist but you knew that, right?
Gavin
