Mammatus Clouds Observed Over Sampacho, Argentina
December 21, 2015
Photographer: Ariel A. Trepin
Summary Authors: Ariel A. Trepin; Jim Foster
Featured above are mammatus clouds observed near Sampacho, Argentina on the afternoon of December 13, 2015. Downdrafts pushing through the cloud base of cumulonimbus clouds cause the conspicuous pouchy appendages. The air within the downdrafts must be cooler than the surrounding air for these clouds to form. It's sometimes noticed that the portion of a thunderstorm complex containing mammatus clouds is losing strength.
Photo Details: Camera Model: Canon EOS REBEL T5i; Lens: 17-50mm; Focal Length: 17mm; Aperture: ƒ/7.1; Exposure Time: 0.013 s (1/80); ISO equiv: 100; Software: Adobe Photoshop CC (Windows).