While gazing up at a cumulus-filled sky, I noticed a what I thought was a Kelvin-Hemholtz in the middle of all the cumulii. I couldn't take a picture as I didn't have a carema/phone handy. One of the cumulii was a cumulonimbus, which rained very lightly for about 21 or so seconds before it stopped. My question to CAS is was that really a Kelvin-Helmhotz I saw, or just a Kelvin-Helmhotz-like formation in the cumulii? What conditions does this rare cloud need to form?
Also, about an hour before this happened, many contrails were criss-crossing overhead, planes scribbled over the sky, and, imho ,they generally just got in the way (apologies to anyone who actually likes contrails). Alec and Mike, if you want to contribute to that contrail-photo collection,may I adivse a trip to England, London, Muswell Hill or Tottenham. There were more contrails than clouds today, and I am positive that I noticed a contrail underneath a cirrus cloud. (My lack of a camera or any picture taking device means I don't have any visual proof. Sorry about this) Question: Should contrails form around that hieght, or is it supposed to be higher?
Thank you
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Kelvin-Helmholtz formations form between two air masses moving at different speeds. I don't think they could form in a cumulus, which is forming in "one" air mass so to speak, hence its contained shape. However, obviously a cumulus has billowing movement and I don't know whether a small local condition within the cloud could form the KH, but
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Pity you didn't have your camera with you. The contrail madness you describe is just what we are looking for on The Crow Instability! At any given time, how many contrails would you say were visible in the sky? Sorry to derail the thread slightly...
I'd say there were about 16 or 17 contrails in the sky at any one time, but there could have been less and I'm just exaggerating. Slightly. Anyway, there are enough for the sky to be ridden with them. Today there were lots more contrails, even one going in an upwards direction from the ground, with a dark grey bottom. What does this mean, if anything? Is it just a faulty plane?
P.S: I think I saw a contrail that was formed UNDER a cirrus cloud. Are they supposed to form this way?
I took a few contrail pictures using my phone, but I'm not sure if I can upload them onto my computer.
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Sounds as though you had a very busy sky! The number you mention is not uncommon in my experience. If you are able to load to your computer then please consider sending them to us, we will gladly use them.
Very very wierd fuzzy picute that was sent via Bluetooth then Facebook then Paint...
No score for this post
January 16 2012, 7:25 PM
Not sure if you're able to use this. I should have taken one of the massive contrail that was hanging over my house, but maybe that wouldn't have come out well either.
See how the contrail is ontop of the cloud? (Or maybe you don't because of the completely rubbish quality.)
This message has been edited by Shakur1393 on Jan 16, 2012 7:26 PM
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
Shakira, last year I saw two planes in the same sky at the same time and one had a dark trail. I would put it down to dodgy engines if it were not all four at once (an older type of plane I guess).
Scoring disabled. You must be logged in to score posts.
@ Shakira Hi Shakira. I'm not seeing your photo. Presumably you've edited your post. If you want to send it to me privately that's fine. My e-mail is on the other contrail thread. Thanks!
@ H Dark contrails are very common imo, as are contrail shadows. I particularly like it when there are two or more shadows being projected on to different layers of cloud at the same time. On the other hand, dark contrails proper, I guess, are less to do with a malfunctioning engine and more to do with the angle of the contrail and how it is illuminated by the sun.
