Strange Cloud Formation - Virginia Beach

[r.furborough]

This is a shot I took of an unusual cloud formation in Virginia Beach, it was one of those occasiosn when I actually did have a camera with me....

[dendrite]

Nice picture.


This is an example of nature's own cloud seeing at work. What you have is a cirrus (Ci) cloud above an alto-cumulus (Ac) deck. The Ci (ice) cloud precipitates/descends into the Ac (water vapor) and the vapor is attracted to the ice crytsals and bonds to them. The ice crystals grow larger and continue to precipitate, but sublimate well before reaching the ground. What you get is some fancy virga and a neat "hole" in the altocumulus layer around it.

[r.furborough]

This was one of those times when you get that eerie feeling, like when the clouds boil in a movie just before the alien arrive

It was kinda cool the way the precipitation 'spiralled' down from the formation.  You can just see that in the picture.

[dendrite]

Typo on my part too...meant to type "cloud seeding"...not "cloud seeing".

[Weather Display]

nice one, and great explanation too