Strange clouds

sharkman

Can someone tell me whats going on here !

DOCARCH

Jellyfish clouds! You don't see those too often. Altocumulus Castellanus.

Not sure why exactly they happen, but would think there is ice crystals or rain falling from the cloud and evaporating.

Su Campu

They're altocumulus virga....precipitation falling from high clouds and doesn't reach the surface due to evaporation.

Here are some I shot in Dubai recently...

force eleven

DOCARCH wrote: »

Jellyfish clouds! You don't see those too often. Altocumulus Castellanus.

Not sure why exactly they happen, but would think there is ice crystals or rain falling from the cloud and evaporating.

Yeah saw them today,in a thin band drifting south. A rare sight.

DOCARCH

Did some searching the main cloud is Altocumulus Castellanus while the tail or tenticles underneath are Virga.

sharkman

Thanks Guys , they were spotted over Swords this evening . Jellyfish clouds , very apt .

Deep Easterly

Wow, only spotted this thread now. Great shots! We had the same clouds passing over yesterday afternoon and they were stunning. I took a pic of them when I spotted them first but of course when they came nearer and looking larger and more visual I was downtown with no camera. :rolleyes:

Yep, as Su and Doc says, they are known as altocumulus clouds, although they are very high based which makes them look almost like cirruscumulus (which are amongst the most beautiful clouds imo ).

Found this pic on the web of these type of clouds when taken from a plane:




they look as beautiful from above as they do from below.

Su Campu

there were some nice cirrocumulus overhead here earlier today, didn't take a photo though (I was way too comfortable in my chair in the garden to bother to go in and get the camera!!)

Deep Easterly

Su Campu wrote: »

there were some nice cirrocumulus overhead here earlier today, didn't take a photo though (I was way too comfortable in my chair in the garden to bother to go in and get the camera!!)

Ya lazy b@"*~ad

A small clump of them passed here one afternoon around a week ago, luckily the camera was nearby:



Best time to see these clouds is defo at sunrise or sunset as they can create some stunning vistas.

Su Campu

OK, ok, here's a MODIS satellite photo of them....happy?!

pauldry

In Co Roscommon after 3pm yesterday 25/5/2010

nacho libre

I've heard that kind of cloud can lead to thunderstorms later in the day. If there is enough surface heating they can grow into cbs.

pauldry

Another one from yesterday.

Su Campu

nacho libre wrote: »

I've heard that kind of cloud can lead to thunderstorms later in the day. If there is enough surface heating they can grow into cbs.

Really? Sure you're not confusing them with Ac castellanus? They're a good indication of upper instability, and often a precursor to thunderstorms, but I would have thought virga would be an indication that upper convection was dying out. But you may be right

PS I suppose the proper nomenclature for the virga cloud would be Altocumulus precipitatio?

nacho libre

Su Campu wrote: »

Really? Sure you're not confusing them with Ac castellanus?
?

i thought that was the cloud we were talking about.

this is the cloud i saw yesterday:


so they are Altocumulus Virga rather than Ac Castellanus clouds?

Su Campu

nacho libre wrote: »

i thought that was the cloud we were talking about.

this is the cloud i saw yesterday:


so they are Altocumulus Virga rather than Ac Castellanus clouds?

Yes, or altocumulus praecipitato.

PS Great image!

Mothman

I was lucky in that I had an impromtu trip to Mullingar late afternoon and saw these. No camera, but I was delighted to see them

Deep Easterly

Su Campu wrote: »

Yes, or altocumulus praecipitato.

Same as Altocumulus Floccus Virga?

Su Campu

Deep Easterly wrote: »

Same as Altocumulus Floccus Virga?

Actually, that's the correct official name, thanks!

Iancar29

nacho libre wrote: »

i thought that was the cloud we were talking about.

this is the cloud i saw yesterday:


so they are Altocumulus Virga rather than Ac Castellanus clouds?

haha, i knew when i seen these clouds goin to work the other day that id be seeing a thread tlkin about them on BOARDS! ha

Lovely clouds they are indeed.
Still tough my favourite would still hav to be Lenticular clouds.



Lenticular is Latin For " Lens shaped"

Deep Easterly

nacho libre wrote: »

i thought that was the cloud we were talking about.

this is the cloud i saw yesterday:


so they are Altocumulus Virga rather than Ac Castellanus clouds?

Wouldn't you love just to be sitting on one of those Ac Flo Vir with a big cigar and a bottle of wine as you just drift to into the sunset.

Chazziemann

Iancar29 wrote: »

haha, i knew when i seen these clouds goin to work the other day that id be seeing a thread tlkin about them on BOARDS! ha

Lovely clouds they are indeed.
Still tough my favourite would still hav to be Lenticular clouds.



Lenticular is Latin For " Lens shaped"

Excellent, were did you see this??

Hal1

Chazziemann wrote: »

Excellent, were did you see this??

Image info:
http://www.newscientist.com/data/galleries/dn17178-extraordinary-clouds/pinkufo.jpg

gowayyalanger

Can someone please confirm that virga is the term for precipitation that doesn't reach the ground? If so, is this what I've captured here?

WolfeIRE

what a great image.