What were the strange clouds above North Central Florida? Meteorologist explains.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - Strange clouds over North Central Florida had people turning to social media for answers. TV20 Meteorologist Scott Gagliardi explains the unusual cloud formations known as Mackerel Skies:

Altocumulus clouds arranged in rippled patterns, more commonly named mackerel skies, are sculpted by high-altitude atmospheric air waves caught in a turbulent air current. Within these seemingly calm skies, dramatic holes called fall streak clouds, or hole-punch clouds, can sometimes appear. They occur naturally due to sudden temperature changes from the behavior of supercooled water droplets that make up the cloud. They fall below freezing so quickly and are almost immediately influenced by gravity and so begin to fall. This creates a domino effect from hundreds of thousands of other tiny, supercooled water droplets creating what looks like someone “punched” the cloud.

An airplane that is traveling a few hundred feet above this unique cloud deck can also initiate this type of phenomenon due to the extra wind and pressure difference they create while flying. When you see cloud formations like this it usually means there is also some noticeable turbulence in aircraft that are flying near it.

These contrasting cloud formations serve as a window into the upper atmosphere’s complex dynamics of air currents, temperature, and water. While mackerel skies display a serene look to them, fall streak clouds reveal the delicate balance of supercooled water, easily influenced by factors like aircraft and temperature shifts. Both remind us of the diverse and often surprising phenomena occurring high above us every single day.

Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Copyright 2024 WCJB. All rights reserved.