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Cloud Streets

February 16, 2011 by Steve Mentz Leave a Comment

They call these “cloud streets.”  They formed after the big winter storm on Jan 24.  From Nasa’s Earth Observatory —

Cloud streets form when cold air blows over warmer waters, while a warmer air layer—or temperature inversion—rests over top of both. The comparatively warm water of the ocean gives up heat and moisture to the cold air mass above, and columns of heated air—thermals—naturally rise through the atmosphere. As they hit the temperature inversion like a lid, the air rolls over like the circulation in a pot of boiling water. The water in the warm air cools and condenses into flat-bottomed, fluffy-topped cumulus clouds that line up parallel to the wind.

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About Steve

Steve Mentz
Professor of English
St. John’s University
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