Mammatus Over Bad Mergentheim

June 11, 2005

Mammatus

Provided by: Jens Hackmann
Summary authors & editors: Jens Hackmann; Jim Foster

The above scene showing a display of mammatus clouds (altocumulus stratiformis opacus mamma) was taken over my hometown, Bad Mergentheim, in southern Germany on April 26, 2005. A few minutes after these menacing looking clouds appeared, it began to rain, and not far from where this picture was taken a thunderstorm occurred. Mammatus sometimes form below cumulonimbus clouds when cool, moist air from above (downdrafts) sinks into a warmer environment.

Photo details: Canon Digital Rebel; manual mode; t = 1/640 sec; f/5.6; f = 21mm; ISO = 100.

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