Rare wave-like cloud formations spotted in the Midwest

Images taken in Wisconsin and Illinois capture rare cloud formations that resemble rippling ocean waves. Known as asperitas, the cloud structures f...

April 20, 2023
2:24 AM

Images taken in Wisconsin and Illinois capture rare cloud formations that resemble rippling ocean waves. Known as asperitas, the cloud structures form on the bottom of a cloud, creating a wave-like ceiling when viewed from below, according to the UK Met Office. The process that forms asperitas clouds is still unknown. Several theories abound, including one that involves mammatus clouds and changing wind direction and height, the UK Met Office said. "Although they appear dark and storm-like, they tend to dissipate without a storm forming," the National Weather Service said.

Angeli Gabriel