Mount Shasta and Lenticular Cloud

June 07, 2010

ShastaLenticular

Photographer: Forrest G. Hall
Summary Author: Forrest G. Hall; Jim Foster

The photo above showing an odd shaped lenticular cloud was photographed near Mount Shasta, California on the evening of May 1, 2010. These more or less lens shaped, mid-level clouds are predominantly orographic in origin. They form in lee waves and often appear motionless with respect to the terrain that they hover above. Though lenticular clouds tend to have streamline shapes, they can indeed take on bizarre looking forms, including "saucers," "bullets" and "almonds." Note, the photographer is facing east -- Mt. Shasta is illuminated by the setting Sun.

Photo details:
Camera Maker: Apple; Camera Model: iPhone 3GS; Image Date: 2010:05:02 20:00:15; Focal Length: 3.9mm; Aperture: f/2.8; Exposure Time: 0.0083 s (1/120); ISO equiv: 98; Metering Mode: Average; Exposure: program (Auto); White Balance: Auto; Flash Fired: No; Color Space: sRGB