Undulatus asperatus are cloud formations that attract the attention of anyone who looks up at the sky, due to their incredible appearance of a rough and wavy layer, as if we were seeing waves being shaken by the wind. These formations have opened debates in scientific communities but are not yet considered a specific type of cloud by the World Meteorological Organization.
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Clouds undulatus asperatus
These formations are characterized by looking like wrinkled clouds with undulations and a great contrast between their light and dark areas, which gives the sky a threatening appearance. No precipitation falls from these clouds and it has not been observed that they cause adverse meteorological phenomena on Earth, such as strong winds or intense precipitation, however in most cases they are related to gravitational waves.
The first time this phenomenon was photographed was in 1951 in Cedar Rapids, and it has been recorded in other parts of the United States, such as Kentucky, Nebraska, Texas, and Alabama. As well as in the countries of France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Estonia, Latvia and New Zealand. It is thought that one of the reasons for their appearance is the collision of hot and cold air, since they tend to appear more in the mornings when there is no wind.
In Atlanta during 2014, it was possible to observe undulatus asperatus clouds that were related to gravitational waves associated with the passage of a flow of winds that crossed mountains, and that caused a disturbance in the flow, thus giving rise to these undulations in the clouds. .
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In 2006, the director of the UK Cloud Appreciation Association, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, said that this is a cloud that has been around forever, but it was not until now that it was given a new classification term: “ “They have always been there, but what happens is that we have only just realized this new way,” he said.
It is thanks to technology that a pattern has now been found, since all people can publish their images and thus be able to identify their characteristics, which do not coincide with previous classifications. There are many types of Undulatus, but the classification of asperatus did not exist until now.
Currently they are considered ephemeral clouds, because their formation transforms into another and although there is a series of patterns that repeat themselves, each of these clouds is unique and with a very great variety.
Experts consider that these clouds deserve their own name, so different discussions on this topic can be expected in the future.
Image: Witta Priester.