Lenticular Clouds over the High Tatra Mountains
April 03, 2023
Photographer: Viktor Belicak
Summary Author: Viktor Belicak; Jim Foster
Shown above is an eye-catching, triple decker lenticularis cloud I observed over the High Tatra Mountains of Slovakia. The photo was taken from the village of Hybe on February 15, 2021. At center is the iconic Krivan Peak (the Slovakian national symbol), which stands at 8,186 ft (2,495 m).
Lenticular clouds are a type of orographic wave cloud that form when air is lifted over an elevated barrier, a mountain range, for example. These clouds are almost always found on the lee side of the barrier, and when the wave entraining them is well-developed, they may remain motionless for an hour or more. If moisture is sufficient and the airflow is strong, clouds will stack up upon one another, as they did on this cold, mid-winter day.
Hybe, Liptov, Slovakia Coordinates: 49.0446, 19.8292
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