• Monday-What'sUP March 16 - 10:19 am

Cloud formations, varied shapes in the sky, give the imagination a workout, figuring what they resemble. First glance at this shot by Lyn Rayrat, made me think it was upside down, since I thought it was drifted snowbanks. Then I realized it was a cloud formation and figured only in the U.P. could you have snow piled on the ground and in the sky too! Kind of looks like a reflection in a lake, seeing double the snow…

Ok, so I admit the above thoughts of twice the snow in the Upper Peninsula, could be because my senses are being assaulted by the withdrawal of the southern sunshine gradually turning into northern whiteness as we get closer to home. Yes, by tonight we should be home in Lake Linden again and ALWAYS on our trip was I able to obtain Internet access. All it took was a local phone call with Pasty.NET's Nationwide Dial-In and I was checking on the happenings at home. Thanks for the great reliable service! :->

Good Morning

Great picture Mary! Thanks!

Have a safe trip home!

Nice picture!

An interesting story, along the lines of Mary's northward trek. When my sister's family was heading home from the greenery of Florida, heading closer to snowland, my nephew asked, somewhere in Indiana, "What month is it here?"

Most unusual, wow.

On top of these clouds there are always just three colors.......Blue, white, and yellow. I spend a lot of time studying the sky from a different perspective, and never tire of it.

It looks like a catchers mitt!

Congratulations to Ms. Rayrat for photograph of the day selection...

I see heaven. : )

I see God's crown!
What else!
Have a good day all.

Beautiful!

WOW!

Okay- Weather experts out there--- HOW do these clouds form?

I see dinosaur ribs.

I have always seen the furrows of a plowed field in clouds like these. Guess that shows I grew up seeing quite a bit of farm country.

Mary I believe these are known as mammary clouds. I saw them once over Green Bay and this is what the old sailors told me.

Giant vapor trails made by angels flying in formation.

Thanks Pete for the name, but as Mary wants to know what causes them.

Actually, I have never heard the term Mammary Cloud used before. Perhaps Pete is confusing them with Mammatus Clouds, which are associated with severe weather.

These are technically Strato Cumulus clouds. To be more specific Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds. They form as the result of differing layers of moisture, density and wind speed in the atmosphere as you travel in the vertical.

The different wind speed causes turbulence (a roll) in the atmosphere, much the way you might cause a bunching or roll to occur with an area rug if you push one spot while keeping the other end fixed. The rolls occur perpendicular to the wind direction. The clouds are formed by a layer of more moist air being lifted in the roll of the atmosphere. That lift causes the air to expand, cool and thus the moisture to condense, forming a cloud. Areas where there are clouds is where the air is rising, areas where the air is sinking the air is clear.

As much as I would like to say these clouds are unique to the UP, they are actually common in all areas of the mid-latitudes of the earth (30 north/south latitude to 55 north/south latitude).

-John

Wow, love the pic! Mary, have a safe trip home :)

John Dee,

Neat to have you here. I love your website, and reading your journal. Hubby and I are also looking forward to the day we move up to the UP...it is our ultimate dream.

John Dee - Both words arise from the same Latin root Mamma! -- "The modified cutaneous, glandular structure on the anterior aspect of the thorax that contains the elements that secrete milk for nourishment of the young." Dorlands Medical Dictionary.

John, see what you get for not paying attention in Med school ???

The right side of the picture looks like two people's legs with their feet in the water.

I thought that was a still picture. Yet every time I come back to look at it I see something different.

I love those clouds, to see them from above also must be incredible. Mother Nature at her best.

AHHH!!! No words can properly describe the beauty Mother Nature has once again displayed.

THANK YOU, JOHN DEE!!

Hey everybody,
These are rib clouds , they form after a barbecue or a tailgate party in Green Bay . Reach up and grab some of that soft tissue that Green Bay is famous for.

They look like Q-tips!

I thought of a giant spider, with pincers in the middle.

Also - the "rib" on the right looks like a finger, complete with fingernail.

"Mammary clouds" LOL LOL LOL no offense but for some reason coming from some old sailors this does not surprise me in the least. I will definitely be sharing this one with the gals at work tomorrow. Thanks for the good chuckle.

It looks like a tarantula about to attack the U.P. --- Man that is one weird pattern! (LOL).

This is surreal!

It looks like the "Ghost Busters" experiment backfired on the "Marshmellow man". Just kidding. :)

Clouds...why so much analysis? Their beauty is your perception...Imagine peace, order, calm.

I'm glad I live where the beauty of the clouds is not obstructed by buildings or pollution. Cheers!