On Sunday night, the sky was set ablaze with a stunning display of mammatus clouds. These rare and unique clouds are formed when cold, sinking air meets warm, rising air, creating distinctive pink, orange and gold formations that some describe as looking like a cow’s udder in the sky.
The occurrence of these clouds on Sunday was particularly widespread, extending across New Jersey, the Delaware Valley region and even as far south as northern Delaware. People were quick to take to social media to share their photos of the mesmerizing sight, with many commenting on its beauty and uniqueness.
Mammatus clouds are commonly associated with cumulonimbus clouds, which are known to produce strong storms during the warm months. When mammatus clouds are present in a cumulonimbus cloud, it can indicate the likelihood of a particularly strong storm.
These cloud formations occur when a large mass of water vapor rises into the atmosphere during a thunderstorm and expands as it sinks back. Although mammatus clouds are not dangerous to those on the ground, they can be a concern for pilots because of the turbulence they can create.
While mammatus clouds may seem like an impressive sight, their presence can also be a warning sign of potentially dangerous weather conditions nearby, such as lightning or hail. Despite this, people were in awe of their beauty and uniqueness on Sunday night.