Comments on: Odd Cloud Patterns In Satellite Image

By: Sturm Vogel

Sturm Vogel — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:18:39 +0000

I don’t know much but it looks like a storm over a Rain Forest or something..Looks pretty weird

By: wxman

wxman — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:40:19 +0000

That is very interesting. It could be a tropical depression. Let us hope that someone else comes by and offers a possible explanation.

By: M K

M K — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:42:52 +0000

To me it looks like a vorticity maximum embedded in a patch of closed cell cumulus clouds. Any boats in that area probably saw some pretty gusty winds.

By: charcind

charcind — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:39:34 +0000

They are known as Cloud Vortex Streets (sometimes known as Karmon Cloud Vortex Streets) and are found downwind of the lee side of an Island. Here are some links with explanations and some examples. Enjoy!http://www.truecolorearth.com/tce-Canary…http://geosci.uchicago.edu/~nnn/LAB/DEMO…http://disc.gsfc.nasa.gov/oceancolor/sci…http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_set.ph…http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/img_up/pal_…http://www.earthscienceworld.org/images/…

By: UALog

UALog — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:15:30 +0000

It’s between a small hurricane/tornado and a huge one like the dust devil in your backyard.
This area (and the azores) is known to make the weather for the eastern parts like europe. That’s why its interesting for meteorologist.