Rollercoaster Ride

Altocumulus lenticularis, Cedar Falls, IA, 9-21-2016. Photo copyright by Craig Johnson, Weather Briefing, LC

If you look up and see clouds like these the air is rolling along like waves in the ocean. The waves are visible because clouds have formed at the top of each wave. Without the clouds the waves would be invisible. If we encounter the waves in an airplane the passengers may not appreciate the up and down motion. The waves are ripples in the air which occur when changes in wind speed and direction disturb different layers of air. These layers can move in an up and down motion for a few miles or hundreds of miles. When you see clouds like these there may be strong winds aloft.