Lenticular Clouds

clouds · weather · mountains · sky science

Lens-shaped beauties. Lenticular clouds look like giant saucers or UFOs parked in the sky. Their smooth, polished appearance comes from the way water droplets line up perfectly in the air.

Mountain wind makers. These clouds form when moist air flows over mountains and creates standing waves on the other side, kind of like ripples in water that stay in one place.

Stationary and still. Unlike most clouds that drift across the sky, lenticular clouds stay in the same spot because they form right in the flowing wind pattern.

Sometimes super colorful. When they form high in the stratosphere, lenticular clouds can be nacreous clouds that shimmer with rainbow colors because of ice crystals catching the light.

Lines up with the wind. These clouds always line up parallel to the wind direction, pointing the way the air is flowing across mountains and ridges.