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The rise and fall of colliding air columns can make cloud patterns—gravity waves—similar to a boat’s wake.
Published Jul 14, 2016
When undular bores ripple through the atmosphere, they leave remarkable patterns in the clouds.
Published Oct 9, 2020
A layer of marine stratocumulus clouds off the west coast of Africa displayed some particularly complex wave patterns.
Published May 16, 2020
Air masses passing over the Appalachian Mountains created waves in the atmosphere—and these distinctive clouds.
Published Apr 22, 2018
Like ripples on a pond, a series of long, circular wave clouds radiate out from the coast of West Africa in this pair of photo-like images.
Published Oct 20, 2007
This distinctive V-shaped wave pattern can emerge behind mountains, ships, and ducks.
Published Dec 17, 2017
The island itself is almost too small see in this image, but it serves as the starting point for the clouds that flow toward the northeast in a giant V shape. Amsterdam Island is a volcanic summit, the northernmost volcano on the Antarctic tectonic plate.
Published Dec 30, 2005
As winds streamed past the South Sandwich Islands, the disrupted flow created an interlocking series of wave clouds.
Published Feb 28, 2020
Dry air surging off the western coast of Africa ran into a wall of moist air over the Atlantic, creating a distinctive line in a marine cloud layer.
Published Feb 28, 2013
Acquired November 23, 2009, this true-color image shows wave clouds formed by air currents passing over the South Sandwich Islands. The islands anchor the V-shaped clouds that spread out toward the east.
Published Nov 25, 2009
Also known as nacreous clouds, they play an important role in the depletion of stratospheric ozone.
Published Feb 9, 2011
