Clouds and Collecting

I met all the weather collectors yesterday for a cup of tea and a chat about the weather. Plus they gave me their cards that they've filled in so far and collected replacement ones. 100 days have already passed since they started noting the weather everyday.

I've loved looking through the comments on the cards - often alongside the weather notes are personal additions about wildlife observations, family stories and effects the weather has had on daily routines (drying washing outside, journeys delayed, walks on to the moors etc). I really love reading them.

One event that got the whole group talking was an unusual cloud formation that they all witnessed (or not - to the annoyance of one collector). It was on 22nd Dec over the valley and was an Altocumulus lenticularis. My Met Office cloud books says: 

" These elegant lenticular ('lens-shaped') altocumulus clouds are formed when a flowing layer of moist air is uplifted by the slope of an intervening hill or mountain. The wind that carries the air over a mountain rises gently, cooling unevenly as it does so, sending bouncing waves of moisture-laden air streaming away from the obstruction. Lenticular wave clouds form in the crests of these air waves."

It was also later reported on the local news too.
One of the collectors noted: " Amazing cloud formation that looked like a 5 level multi-storey car park just hovered over."

And he's not far wrong - the image above is of Preston Bus Station (which is a multi storey car park above). An amazing cloud - an amazing building.

Thanks to Mike for the wonderful image of the cloud taken from his house in Stanbury.