Clouds of the Day - Sunday, May 28, 2023

Finally, the clouds are back. After days of clear skies these striking mid-level clouds appeared around sunrise. This view looks east at a large sheet of Altocumulus stratiformis undulatus. Breaking the name down translates to high cumulus in a stratus sheet with undulations. The undulations, or waves, are caused by gravity waves which are ripples in the air flow similar to waves we see on water. The waves are in a layer that is stable, which means the waves will have limited vertical development that oscillate within the layer.

This photo is courtesy of NOAA/NESDIS. The cloud text was added by Weather Briefing, LC. Click the image to go to the NOAA/NESDIS webpage to learn more about Cloud Streets and Cloud Waves. The image shows the Mid-Atlantic coast of the U.S. on November 18, 2018. Click the Image to learn more.