Unusual mammatus clouds were observed early Wednesday morning across various regions of the United Kingdom. The term “mammatus” derives from the Latin word “mamma,” meaning ‘udder’ or ‘breast’. These distinctive clouds appeared even more striking with a fiery, orange hue as they were illuminated by the sunrise. Mammatus clouds are typically linked to thunderstorm activity, often accompanied by rain, hail, and lightning.
Mammatus formations are commonly found beneath cumulonimbus clouds, which are thunderstorm clouds. Within these clouds, there is considerable turbulence, resulting in intense up and downdrafts. The force of the downdrafts can cause air to be pushed below the cloud, leading to the formation of large bulges filled with air and water droplets. The presence of mammatus clouds serves as a strong indicator of impending heavy rainfall, hail, or a significant thunderstorm.
The most impressive instances of mammatus clouds usually occur when the sun is setting low on the horizon, casting a warm glow on the undersides of the clouds, highlighting their unique ‘udder-like’ appearance. Many of our BBC Weather Watchers, particularly those in North Yorkshire, were able to capture images of this rare cloud formation during Wednesday morning. If you happen to spot mammatus clouds like these, be prepared for severe weather conditions on the horizon
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