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Astronomy Picture of the Day - A Roll Cloud Over Wisconsin
NASA ^ | 20 Aug, 2023 | Credit: Megan Hanrahan (Pierre cb), Wikipedia

Posted on 08/20/2023 11:13:55 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: What kind of cloud is this? A type of arcus cloud called a roll cloud. These rare long clouds may form near advancing cold fronts. In particular, a downdraft from an advancing storm front can cause moist warm air to rise, cool below its dew point, and so form a cloud. When this happens uniformly along an extended front, a roll cloud may form. Roll clouds may actually have air circulating along the long horizontal axis of the cloud. A roll cloud is not thought to be able to morph into a tornado. Unlike a similar shelf cloud, a roll cloud is completely detached from their parent cumulonimbus cloud. Pictured here, a roll cloud extends far into the distance as a storm approaches in 2007 in Racine, Wisconsin, USA.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: cloud; nasa; rollcloud
To be added or removed from the Astronomy Picture of the Day ping list please send me a request via "Private Reply" (Mail).

For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 08/20/2023 11:13:55 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 08/20/2023 11:14:16 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; Agatsu77; America_Right; ...
Pinging the APOD list.

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔


3 posted on 08/20/2023 11:14:54 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

bttt


4 posted on 08/20/2023 11:20:22 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
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To: MtnClimber

I’ve seen those in person and they are rather unnerving in a ‘War of the Worlds’ kind of way!

We always called them ‘Shelf Clouds’ but that could be something else...


5 posted on 08/20/2023 11:21:20 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: All

“Unlike a similar shelf cloud, a roll cloud is completely detached from their parent cumulonimbus cloud.”

Duh. Missed the print - was too busy looking at the picture!


6 posted on 08/20/2023 11:22:20 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: MtnClimber

Did I hear that Willie Nelson, Snoop Dog and Paul McCartney were having a ‘Jam Session” in the backwoods of Wisconsin?
Maybe somebody’s trying to take their ‘prescription Nerve Tonic’ right about now.


7 posted on 08/20/2023 12:03:03 PM PDT by lee martell ( )
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To: MtnClimber

The clouds of DOOM!!


8 posted on 08/20/2023 2:07:36 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: MtnClimber

I saw one of those some years ago on the way to work. I went right over our area.


9 posted on 08/20/2023 3:07:01 PM PDT by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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