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Funny Cloud / Unusual cloud types

This funny cloud was over Porto Vecchio, Corsica yesterday afternoon…. At least it was funny to me, who doesn’t normally hang out there. It was still there an hour after dusk. Anybody have a good explanation?

This look very much like lenticular clouds. I came across similar on the way from Dusseldorf to UK and stayed well clear. Other forumites educated me on them. Best avoided.

UK, United Kingdom

Well, if you know how to utilize them, they could give you quite a bit savings in time and distance.

Although… on an IFR flight plan, could you – in theory – follow an updraft to save time/fuel? Would be a very interesting (and non-trivial) task to be combined with optimal IR routings. (There are people gaining data on these phenomena and whilst doing so breaking quite a few world soraing records: http://mwp.flightplanner.info/)

mh
Aufwind GmbH
EKPB, Germany

And you can see the mountains in that picture that may be generating them. We get these clouds all the time here – we often have a stable airmass and winds strong enough. You don’t need much of a mountain to make mountain wave (and lenticular clouds) go up a long way – off the Scottish Highlands it’s not unknown to wave soar at FL300+

Andreas IOM

Basically the whole of Corsica is a mountain, so I imagine the uninterrupted flow over the spine of the island would have been the cause. Perfect clear weather for the last couple of days with a steady wind.

Last Edited by Silvaire at 31 May 15:25

Standing lenticular cloud, usually indicative of turbulence that’s best avoided. Seen loads of these over the Sierra Nevada and adjoining ranges in southern Spain, and, even when avoiding them, the turbulence across the mountains usually lived up to the reputation!

Well… the Rotors can be nasty but if you learn to read these clouds they can indicate areas of very smooth updrafts.



mh
Aufwind GmbH
EKPB, Germany

On funny clouds… what forms this one

There was zero turbulence all around it. Wind aloft was about 10k max, and no terrain below. 4500ft, +7C.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

On funny clouds… what forms this one

Is there a city underneath ?

None I know of – this was near Seaford (SFD VOR).

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
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