Ice Blowing in the Wind

Cirrus over Cedar Falls, Photo by Craig Johnson

Cirrus are blown into some of the most dramatic cloud formations. These patches of dense cirrus were flying high over Cedar Falls on October 3, 2019. Estimated at an altitude of around 18,000 feet, shafts of ice crystals are visible streaming below the thickest clouds. The cloud in the upper right of the photo should be classified as altocumulus and near the bottom of the photo are a few scattered cumulus. Strong winds aloft are blowing the clouds into long bands and stretching the ice crystals into long thin ribbons below the thick cloud formations.