Where were you when you took the photo?
I did not take this photo, but I thought it was really cool. It was taken by NASA. The page I got the image from was http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=7362. The location is in Oklahoma.
Describe the weather
These are hole punch clouds. According to the NASA website where I got the picture, these clouds formed as follows:
This strange phenomenon resulted from a combination of cold temperatures, air traffic, and perhaps unusual atmospheric stability. The cloud blanket on January 29 consisted of supercooled clouds. Supercooled clouds contain water droplets that remain liquid even though the temperature is well below freezing, and such clouds are not unusual.
As aircraft from the Dallas-Fort Worth airport passed through these clouds, tiny particles in the exhaust came into contact with the supercooled water droplets, which froze instantly. The larger ice crystals fell out of the cloud deck, leaving behind the “holes,” while the tiniest ice particles in the center remained aloft.
Advice
- I would love to see one of these clouds in person which is why I have submitted the image.
