What's This Cloud

11/21/2019

Woo! Caught this very specific type of fallstreak hole, known as a cloud canal, a few weeks ago. From a cloud classification perspective, this is known as the cavum cloud feature. ☝️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Cloud canals are formed when an airplane flies through a layer of altocumulus clouds containing supercooled water droplets. The conditions for these to form have to be just right, making it an unusual sight! ❄️💦⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'altocumulus stratiformis perlucidus translucidus cavum’ (Ac str pe tr cav).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Altocumulus: Mid-altitude cloud heaps⁠⠀
☁️ Stratiformis: Horizontal, layer-like form⁠⠀
☁️ Perlucidus: Transparent by small gaps⁠⠀
☁️ Translucidus: See-through, sun’s position visible⁠⠀
☁️ Cavum: Fallstreak hole, hole punch⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Keswick, VA - November 9, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Keswick, Virginia

11/18/2019

Classic example of the perlucidus cloud variety at sunset. 😍⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'altocumulus stratiformis perlucidus’ (Ac str pe).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Altocumulus: Mid-altitude cloud heaps⁠⠀
☁️ Stratiformis: Horizontal, layer-like form⁠⠀
☁️ Perlucidus: Transparent by small gaps⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Orange, VA - November 9, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁ @ Orange, Virginia

11/07/2019

THIS CLOUD IS ANNNGGRRRYY. 😡The dark base of a cumulonimbus looming in the distance. ⛈⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Cheers to who was randomly selected to win a 24x36 ‘Cloud Classification’ poster (available to purchase on our website!) 🏆 ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'cumulonimbus praecipitato’ (Cb pra).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Cumulonimbus: Thunderstorms⁠⠀
☁️ Praecipitatio: Precipitation reaching the surface⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Charlottesville, VA - August 8, 2018⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Charlottesville, Virginia

11/05/2019

Altostratus or cirrostratus? 🤔⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Cirrostratus clouds are lighter in color, you can always see the sun’s position through a cirrostratus cloud, which is not always the case with altostratus clouds, which are darker and lower to the ground than cirrostratus clouds. 🤓⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'cirrostratus’ (Cs).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Cirrostratus Clouds: Pale, Veil-like Layer⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Carysbrook, VA - April 4, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Carysbrook, Virginia

10/31/2019

From personal experience, I've had the best luck finding examples of virga during late afternoons. ☝️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
But last week while hiking in Shenandoah National Park, I watched an altocumulus cloud basically evaporate into one giant virga strip, so much so that the cloud was entirely consumed by it.❗️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Mind officially blown. 🤯⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Had I not watched it with my own eyes, I might have classified this as cirrus spissatus since it appears to be a thick clump of feathery cirrus clouds (which is what a lot of you guessed!). A true curveball thrown by Mother Nature! ⚾️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
And three cheers to .hillatnine who was randomly selected to win a 24x36 ‘Cloud Classification’ poster (available for purchase on our website!).🏆 ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'altocumulus virga’ (Ac vir).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Altocumulus: Mid-altitude cloud heaps⁠⠀
☁️ Virga: Evaporating strips of precipitation⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Waynesboro, VA - October 21, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Shenandoah National Park

10/29/2019

Swipe right! A panorama of yesterday afternoon's sky packed to the brim with contrails. ✈️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
With homo translated from latin meaning human and genitus translated from latin mean created from, the ‘homogenitus’ cloud formation is found in three cloud types: cirrus, stratus, and cumulus. ☝️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
The proper cloud classification abbreviation for this cloud is ‘Ci hogen’, ‘Cu hogen’, and ‘St hogen’. They describe a cloud that forms from a human source, such as aircraft condensation trails and powerplants. 🏭⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'cirrus homogenitus’ (Ci hogen).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Cirrus: High, wispy streaks⁠⠀
☁️ Homogenitus: Caused by human activity⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Nellysford, VA - October 28, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Nellysford, Virginia

10/28/2019

If you can, imagine this photograph without clouds. It would make for a much less exciting scene. 🌅⁠⠀
⁠⠀
There are some towns, cities, and countries that boast "we're one of the most the sunniest places in the world" and I can't help to feel bad for them. 😭⁠⠀
⁠⠀
The question is, would you rather have a sky with too many clouds (overcast days) or not enough clouds? 🤔⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'cirrus’ (Ci) and 'altocumulus' (Ac).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Cirrus: High, wispy streaks⁠⠀
☁️ Altocumulus: Mid-altitude cloud heaps⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Gordonsville, VA - October 17, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁ @ Gordonsville, Virginia

10/24/2019

Just published a new cloud classification lesson this week. Fog, fog, fog! With a little bit of sunshine. ⛅️

Learn to identify a cloud that holds the classification of stratus nebulosus translucidus (St neb tr) in this week's cloud classification lesson.

10/22/2019

A thunderstorm, with a mini shelf cloud, followed by some rain, over a field in Slovenia. Tornado alley might be in the US, but Europe still gets their fair share of storms! 🇸🇮⁠⠀
⁠⠀
This photo is courtesy of Adam Likar ,a storm photographer from Slovenia. Check out his profile at on Instagram. Thanks, Adam!⁠⠀
⁠⠀
For a chance to be featured, tag us in your cloud photos and use the hashtag. 💯⛅️⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'cumulonimbus arcus praecipitatio’ (Cb arc pra).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Cumulonimbus: Thunderstorms⁠⠀
☁️ Arcus: Shelf cloud, gust collar⁠⠀
☁️ Praecipitatio: Precipitation reaching the surface⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Kalce-Naklo, Slovenia - October 17, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Kalce-Naklo

10/18/2019

Lenticular clouds don't come around central Virginia terribly often. So when they started appearing at sunset yesterday evening... well... let's just say it was a special treat. 😍⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The main clouds featured are classified as 'altocumulus lenticularis’ (Ac len).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Altocumulus: Mid-altitude cloud heaps⁠⠀
☁️ Lenticularis: Lens-shaped, resembling a UFO⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Gordonsville, VA - October 17, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Gordonsville, Virginia

10/17/2019

Arguably a cloudspotter's favorite cloud feature... good ol' Kelvin-Helmholtz waves. 🌊🌊🌊🌊

A new cloud classification lesson published on our site... enjoy! ⛅️

Learn to identify a cloud that holds the classification of stratus fractus fluctus (St fra flu) in this week's cloud classification lesson.

10/15/2019

A magnificant example of the undulatus cloud variety in a layer of cirrocumulus clouds. 🏆⁠⠀
⁠⠀
This picture was taken with a zoom lens to get closer to those undulating rolls. 🗞⁠⠀
⁠⠀
⛅️ : The clouds featured are classified as 'cirrocumulus stratiformis undulatus’ (Cc str un).⁠⠀
⁠⠀
☁️ Cirrocumulus: High-altitude cloudlets⁠⠀
☁️ Stratiformis: Horizontal, layer-like form⁠⠀
☁️ Undulatus: Wavelike, undulating⁠⠀
⁠⠀
📅 & 📍: Charlottesville, VA - August 7, 2019⁠⠀
⁠⠀
@ Charlottesville, Virginia