Asperitas Clouds

Strange clouds formed over Caledon Ontario on June 15, 2022. The eerie apocalyptic formations are known as Asperitas Clouds.

These unusal and rare cloud formations are described this way on the Farmers Alamanc website.

What Is An Asperitas Cloud?  Asperitas (previously called undulatus asperatus) is the newest cloud to be recognized by the weather community since the 1950s. If you spot one you might think you’re under the sea rather than under the sky. That’s because asperitas, which form in the undersides of clouds, resemble stormy ocean waves. It’s from this that they take their name, which is Latin for roughness.

According to International Cloud Atlas, Asperitas are defined as: Well-defined, wave-like structures in the underside of the cloud; more chaotic and with less horizontal organization than the variety undulatus. Asperitas is characterized by localized waves in the cloud base, either smooth or dappled with smaller features, sometimes descending into sharp points, as if viewing a roughened sea surface from below. Varying levels of illumination and thickness of the cloud can lead to dramatic visual effects. Occurs mostly with Stratocumulus and Altocumulus.

What Type of Weather Do Asperitas Clouds Bring?  Seeing these eerie, low-level clouds loom overhead may be unsettling, but they don’t produce rainfall or ill weather. However, asperitas are often observed around the same time thunderstorms form. Scientists believe that turbulent air, similar to air found in storms and along weather fronts (where air masses clash and cause vertical motion and wind shear), is responsible for the formation of these ominous looking clouds. However, asperitas have also been sighted in relatively calm weather, too.

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