Cloud Layering

July 05, 2003

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Provided and copyright by: Brian Toycen
Summary authors & editors: Brian Toycen; Jim Foster

This interesting photo was taken on the evening of June 1, near Amarillo, Texas. These clouds were very low, perhaps less than 2,000 feet (610 m) above the surface and passed by very quickly. The layering appearance of the clouds does not result from laminar flow, whereby the clouds move in parallel streamlines and are stacked or layered. Notice the rough edges along the bottom of this cloud deck -- an indicator of turbulence. Shortly after the clouds passed over, a brief rain shower occurred, but no severe weather was observed.

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