Pouch-like, downward-bulging cloud formations that hang from the underside of a larger cloud, most often the anvil of a mature or dissipating thunderstorm, giving the sky a distinctive, cellular, udder-like appearance. They form where pockets of cold, sinking air descend and evaporate at their edges while the moist core persists briefly as a visible pouch. Despite their dramatic look, mammatus clouds are generally associated with a storm's later, weakening stage.
Facts
Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceSmooth, ragged or lumpy lobes, opaque or translucent. 1 First DescribedWilliam Clement Ley, 1894 1 Sources
1. Mammatus cloud, Wikipedia
Characteristics
Mammatus may appear as smooth, ragged or lumpy lobes and may be opaque or translucent.
Introduction
These formations were first described in 1894 by William Clement Ley.
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