Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => The Environment => Topic started by: neilep on 23/07/2020 12:14:02

Title: Why is This Cloud Fuzzy
Post by: neilep on 23/07/2020 12:14:02
Dearest Cloudologists,


As a Sheepy I of course know all there is to know about stuff I know.


Whilst looking at the sky the other day I was happily watching my cloudy bro's and sis's 'float on by' (Dionne Warwick) , after all I am a cloud with legs, anyway...i saw this cloud


(https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1Pls9BAjAX6w5d7H03G8YICaGg5jOxI_N)



WHY IS THIS CLOUD FUZZY ?



it IS in focus !!..this is how the cloud looked !!


Other clouds were happy bubbly cotton wool sheepy clouds but this one looks fuzzy , why's that then ?




Thank ewe


xxx


Title: Re: Why is This Cloud Fuzzy
Post by: neilep on 23/07/2020 14:11:04
Can people see the photo ? It’s gone now I’m using my iPad
Title: Re: Why is This Cloud Fuzzy
Post by: alancalverd on 23/07/2020 14:15:20
Looks like a lenticular cloud. It's an interesting phenomenon caused by a standing wave formed in the lee of mountains when there is a steady wind. Rising air cools and at some point the water vapor condenses to form the cloud, but the air later descends and the water evaporates. Because the air is moving horizontally as well as vertically, the cloud is actually a dynamic structure, continually forming at the leading edge and dispersing at the trailing edge, hence the wispy appearance.

This is different from the fine weather cumulus cloud where a block of humid air has risen to the dewpoint then drifts downwind relatively en masse like a cauliflower with defined edges.  The horizontal wind speed inside a lenticular can be upwards of 30 knots and very laminar but the cloud doesn't move across the landscape, whereas a cumulus cloud is internally turbulent and drifts downwind.
Title: Re: Why is This Cloud Fuzzy
Post by: neilep on 23/07/2020 14:21:32
Thank ewe very much Alan. Very much appreciate your answer. I couldn’t quite figure if my eyesight was just blurry from another sleepless night or it was a legit cloud. Thank you
Title: Re: Why is This Cloud Fuzzy
Post by: Colin2B on 23/07/2020 14:51:32
I couldn’t quite figure if my eyesight was just blurry from another sleepless night
Do you ever get sheepless nights?
What do you count when you do?
Title: Re: Why is This Cloud Fuzzy
Post by: neilep on 23/07/2020 15:42:58
I couldn’t quite figure if my eyesight was just blurry from another sleepless night
Do you ever get sheepless nights?
What do you count when you do?

lol...every night is a sleepless night. I narcissistically count my reflection in the mirror !!