was I imagining this?

[mikeyj]

I know i'm leaving myself open to a few witty replies but can anybody remember a particularly unusual cloud formation over the Albox/Oria area a few months back - they looked just like button mushrooms I wish that I had had a camera with me - I can find nothing on the net - it was a very clear early evening.

[Elsa-mary]

HI
MAGIC MAYBE !!!!!
SERIOUSLY, USED TO LIVE IN ORIA,AND YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAD2 FOOT, ICICLES HANGING FROM THE BALCONY IN FEB, SO I BELIEVE YOU,!!!!
ELSA-MARY

[TerryP]

Probably Lenticular clouds, loads of info on the net.

[keddyboy]

Thanks Terry I am sure we all know a Lenticular cloud when we see it!!!
Perhaps you might enlarge on the subject to us non sky watchers?

[patricia]

Yes they are Lenticular clouds, fascinating aren't they! They are caused by the downdraft and updraft of air, when it reaches the cooler air, it turns into clouds. These types of cloud are only found around mountain areas. People have often mistaken them for spaceships. The word for Lenticular comes from the word lense

[gretch]

mikeyj.

Is this the sort of thig you're thinking of?



grtech

[Alan-LaCala]

Some terrific pictures on this site.

http://pic1.funtigo.com/valuca?g=25544746&cr=

Alan

[mikeyj]

Hi to all who replied and thank you - I had picked up some info on Lenticular clouds on the net before I posted my question but the descriptions and photos did'nt really show the true mushroom formation - it was a very clear evening and from memory it was a prelude to a bad storm later that night, as with Alan's photo though there appeared to only be about six or seven of these formations in the sky.

Once again thank you all for your replies.

regards Mikeyj.

[gente]

U.F.O,s over Mijas Golf

[lis48]

IMHO they are very unlikely to have been lenticular clouds as those are associated with strong winds coming down mountains (e.g Fohn or Chinook). Not likely to be ever seen in Southern Andalusia as you would need a very strong wind from the north and we usually have low pressure to the north so winds here tend to be either SE or SWerlies. I would say they were anvil clouds (sometimes called hammer clouds) which are cumulonimbus towering things caused by a strong updraugh and predict a storm brewing. I'm sure there'll be pics in google to check.

[chicdiz]

Some terrific pictures on this site.

http://pic1.funtigo.com/valuca?g=25544746&cr=

Alan

thanks Alan for these wonderful marvels of nature.

[Bandy]

Are you sure it wasn't the Koreans?

[El Cid]

IMHO they are very unlikely to have been lenticular clouds as those are associated with strong winds coming down mountains (e.g Fohn or Chinook). Not likely to be ever seen in Southern Andalusia as you would need a very strong wind from the north and we usually have low pressure to the north so winds here tend to be either SE or SWerlies. I would say they were anvil clouds (sometimes called hammer clouds) which are cumulonimbus towering things caused by a strong updraugh and predict a storm brewing. I'm sure there'll be pics in google to check.

I have seen these clouds on the coast a couple of times. They are certainly not anvil clouds - they are quite different.

As for wind direction, a low over central or northern Spain will give SW winds but never give SE winds. Northerly winds where we are on the Granada coast are common in winter. They come down from the mountains at night and in early morning. The strongest winds we have experienced were from the north at nearly 90kph (force 10+).

Sid

[Grouser]

Axarquia December 04

[lis48]

photos did'nt really show the true mushroom formation

I read into the above that Mikey had dismissed the lenticular cloud theory hence I suggested the anvil cloud idea because those are very common here. When studying meteorology at university I was always told that lenties were a rare phenomenon over Spain. Glad to see your pic Grouser and clearly the lecturers were mistaken.

a low over central or northern Spain will give SW winds but never give SE winds

Sid, I never said that. I used the word "lower" not "a low" and obviously lower pressure to the north will mean more southerly winds whether they be SE or SW!

[El Cid]

Sid, I never said that. I used the word "lower" not "a low" and obviously lower pressure to the north will mean more southerly winds whether they be SE or SW!

Sorry, but you did say low - not lower - hence my comments.

Most of the time the winds are either East or West, there usually isn't a lot of South in them due to the mountain ranges on either side funnelling them through the gap.

Sid

[lis48]

Sorry Sid, I did write "low". In my mind I was writing lower so reacted when you thought I meant "a low" which is very different you'll agree.

[anyroads]

When Mick Jagger sang "hey you get off my cloud" all those years ago. I wonder what type of cloud had he in mind ?

Anyroads

[patricia]

I think it was a magic mushroom one

[Grouser]

More lentils over Maroma this November.