Mammatus clouds

[Jsf]

This news suprised me :
http://www.signs-of-the-times.org/articles/show/129425-Rare+mammatus+clouds+over+Melbourne

Weather bureau duty forecaster Geoff Feren said the clouds were different from those usually seen over Melbourne.

"We do see it every now and then, but it's not the most common cloud," he said.

Mr Feren said while these clouds were seen yesterday morning, they can stand out more in the afternoon. "It depends on the lighting, how prominent mammatus is, but especially late in the day when the light is coming through."

I began to note every time I saw Mammatus where I live (south of france), because I observed much more of these clouds the few last years.

You can see a sort of mammatus here, by example : http://www.gloire-au-michoud.com/orage.jpg

I will search for more because I took a lot of pictures of this kind of nice clouds.

They always appear before a thunderstorm... but recently I saw some without thunder.

edit : some little mammatus formations here, under a thunder cloud : http://www.gloire-au-michoud.com/bizarre3.jpg
http://www.gloire-au-michoud.com/bizarre6.jpg
Zoom : http://www.gloire-au-michoud.com/bizarre5.jpg

edit2 :
Mammatus : Rare and alarming clouds
http://www.generationmp3.com/popnext/index.php/2005/05/26/641-mammatus-des-nuages-rares-et-inquietants

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap040607.html

When do cloud bottoms appear like bubbles? Normal cloud bottoms are flat because moist warm air that rises and cools will condense into water droplets at a very specific temperature, which usually corresponds to a very specific height. After water droplets form that air becomes an opaque cloud. Under some conditions, however, cloud pockets can develop that contain large droplets of water or ice that fall into clear air as they evaporate. Such pockets may occur in turbulent air near a thunderstorm, being seen near the top of an anvil cloud, for example. Resulting mammatus clouds can appear especially dramatic if sunlit from the side.

 

[seek10]

More strange clouds in this link. good use of camera phones, i guess

_http://www.weather.com/news/wave-clouds-atlanta-20121012

 

[lostinself]

_http://www.weather.com/news/wave-clouds-atlanta-20121012

these look like asperatus, not mammatus (or are they the same?)

for 2 years or so, i've been noticing clouds of this kind in Poland too. they appear rather occasionally and in a less monumental form but nonetheless. until relatively recently i had never seen them in my life.

 

[PERLOU]