An Ocean of Waves in the Sky - Orogenic Standing Waves A Spectular Sight For The Science Inclined

Very laminar, stable flow is required to create such beautifully enthralling waves in the clouds in the sky above our heads. As the stable airmass (already saturated with moisture) flows steadily over the surface of the Earth, topographic features likes mountains can cause standing waves to form in the atmosphere. Not easily spotted by typical ground dwellers, so I sent the bird cam up or a better perspective.

Picture it like a stick just below the surface of a smooth running stream of water, the motionless ripples on the surface of the water that form from the object still not yet breaching the surface, the same physical concept is applied to the mountain peak and the atmospheric "stream".

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I include this photo off the internet for mental visualization.

Some wave cloud formations are not continuous clouds however, unlike my photos from Wednesday February 27th 2019, which cover the entire sky with a dense canopy, and visible in the canopy are the waves enumerated.. much like a beach on a lake.

As the moist, but stable airmass moves over the topographic feature in a laminar fashion, the airmass begins undulating into standing waves as seen. And typically, as the air travels along the pathway of that wave pattern, the air is pushed up higher into the atmosphere to cool and condense, forming a single cloud "wave" in a set of "wave clouds". For as the air then continues its travel, back down in altitude, expanding and heating, the cloud dissipates as it is no longer saturated atmosphere. Hence the break, or cloudless part of a "wave cloud" pattern. Rinse and repeat as the air continues to move.

But the waves themselves do not move and the clouds themselves where they are condensed into waves and dissipated into breaks, do not move. It is the air and moisture that continues to flow in a steady, laminar fashion.

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Although, in my instance on that Wednesday, the airmass was already saturated and thus most the sky was already covered in a cloud, the standing waves were still very evident and beautiful to say the least.

If I would have had more time before work I would have attempted to timelapse a bit of these waves in the sky. Next time I spot this kind of formation I should act quicker. That will be a real treat for the weather junkies like myself.

I consider myself blessed all the time and am very grateful for where I live. Not everywhere is blessed with the topography surrounding to be able to witness such spectacles. But there are trade offs for everything right?!

Not everyone even gives shit these clouds are up there. Not everyone thinks like I do, and realizes how much control the climate has on our lives. This is just an instance of beauty.

With the ridges and hills all around where I live, it makes sense to see this type of cloud in the sky when a stable, laminar flowing, moist airmass traverses overhead. Not though, however, does it make any sense to see checkerboard clouds on a day of no wind and low humidity. But that is a convo for another time. Manmade clouds are real but this ain't it this time.

Golf course is looking a bit brown these days. Hope to see it liven up a bit with the coming Spring season right around the corner! And so it our baby boy.

Must be another week or two before our baby boy James is brought into this chaotic, but subtly beautiful world. @kelsnm is quickly running out of room and it just seems he could come any day at this point.

I pray to Heavenly Father.

Stay safe everyone!