Met Office explains why Scots saw bizarre clouds in sky during Storm Dudley

17.02.2022 - 21:33 / dailyrecord.co.uk

Scots were left stunned yesterday as bizarre clouds formed over parts of the country in the midst of Storm Dudley.

The strange ominous clouds filled skies across the central belt, with the majority of sightings in the Glasgow area.

Their arrival came as much of the country was battered by Storm Dudley on Wednesday.

Many areas were drenched in heavy rainfall throughout the day as winds of up to 90mph rocked the most exposed parts of Scotland.

A number of Scots joked that the regular clouds had been ‘messed around with’ while others were utterly perplexed by the golf ball shapes in the sky.

But what are they? And how did they get there?

Here’s everything we know about the strange looking clouds.

The Met Office has described mammatus clouds as some of the “most unusual and distinctive clouds formations”.

Experts say that the shape of mammatus formations can vary widely - from the classic protruding shape, to a more elongated tube hanging from the cloud above.

They are usually formed in association with large cumulonimbus clouds. Turbulence from within the cloud will result in the formation of the mammatus.

Their appearance usually comes during a period of adverse weather, particularly in thunderstorms, as the clouds build up huge masses of unstable air.

The formation is usually a sign that there could be a chance of hail, heavy rain or lightning set to strike in the vicinity.

And during the cold winter months, snow can often be the result of these cloud formations.

The term mammatus, comes from the Latin term mamma, which translates to “udder” or “breast” and they are most visible when the sun is low in the sky.

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