Comments on: Desktop Project Part 14: The cloud streets of southern Greenland

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:33:02 +0000

I’ve often seen something at sunset and wondered about it.

It seems like these “cloud streets” tend to form as the sun is going down. Yet I’m aware that the setting sun could simply be lighting the clouds in a way that suggests a regular pattern when there really isn’t one.

Am I seeing something real, or not? Full disclosure, I’m talking about a continental climate, not coastal and not marine.

By: HP

HP — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 02:29:29 +0000

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now.

By: Per Dahlen

Per Dahlen — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:14:48 +0000

Those vortexes looks very similar to those created by the big volcano on Jan Mayen.
http://www.jan-mayen.no/airfield/karman2.jpg
They are a problem for the local airtraffic at takeoff. The vortex creates very sudden 180 degree shift in wind direction.

The streets lasts longer at Greenland, because of normally much calmer weather conditions.

By: Ian Regan

Ian Regan — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 13:40:47 +0000

Apropos of nothing, the raw data from Rosetta’s 2010 flyby of the asteroid Lutetia has been now released.

A series of NAC images were assembled into this flyby movie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQgXWK5Jxhs

By: VinceRN

VinceRN — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 02:06:53 +0000

Wow. In my (totally unqualified) opinion this is the winner, so far, of your desk top project pictures. Never knew such a thing existed. The world sure is a cool place.

By: kat wagner

kat wagner — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 01:16:27 +0000

Thanks for posting the link to the diagram too; I was wracking my poor brain trying to figure out how the streets roll. And roll they do, like big long rolls of paper, pulling their neighbors in the opposition direction. Cool!

By: mhilm

mhilm — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 00:27:48 +0000

Have you heard of the Cloud Appreciation Society? That was great day for me, when I discovered their existence. I immediately became a proud, card-carrying member.
http://cloudappreciationsociety.org/

By: J. Major

J. Major — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:42:51 +0000

Cool image. And I love the “Desktop Project” idea… so many images either get forgotten about or else deserve another look every now and then! Just ‘cuz somethings not brandy-new doesn’t mean it’s not totally awesome.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:58:05 +0000

I believe the term cloud ‘street’ comes from the world of soaring sailplanes and hang gliders. To us, those rows of clouds are indicators of soarable lift that allow long distance flight. Follow the street and you can stay up, cross the street into the clear area between them and you likely find sinking air.

By: J. Cormier

J. Cormier — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:50:38 +0000

Very cool Phil. Now if only we could get some images as seen from the surface of the Earth to go with this, narrow in comparison as they may be.