Kelvin Helmholtz Clouds Over Sedona, Arizona

September 07, 2008

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Provided by: Phillip Lachman
Summary Author and Editor: Jim Foster, Phillip Lachman

The photo above showing a standing wave cloud formation (just above the helicopter) was taken at the airport in Sedona, Arizona. I first noticed these sawtooth clouds while flying the chopper pictured in the foreground. They're referred to as Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds. These wave clouds sometimes result when there's a prominent wind shear between adjacent cloud layers. Photo snapped on January 26, 2008.