Known locally as “Taieri Pet“and adopted by its inhabitants as their”pet“atosmeric, has the particularity of being frequently on the same place and presents a aspect almost identical every time they watch it.
The cloud has an extension of approximately 11 and a half kilometersand it is a natural phenomenon known as elongated lenticular altocumulus (ASLC), according to meteorologists from the POT and of MetService from New Zealand.
How this phenomenon occurs
These types of formations are generated when the northwest winds They are located in the mountain range Rock and Pillar Range and create a unique atmospheric pattern that keeps the cloud in the sky practically motionless.
These types of phenomena are common to find in the skies of Middlemarchas explained John LawNew Zealand MetService meteorologist, and added: “When the cloud forms in the crest of this waveremains almost still in heaven and it is molded by the strong winds that blow through it.”
What characteristics does the “Taieri Pet” cloud have?
When observing this cloud in profile, its unique and particular nature is revealed, which appears as a number of layers that lie one above the other in a defined way, described by many citizens as a “pile of dishes“or a”huge stack of pancakes“floating in the air.
“What makes the Taieri Pet is that, although the individual air within it is in constant movementthe cloud seems stationary“explains Law. In addition, training can reach hundreds of meters high and that is what makes it easily visible.
In summary, this type of cloud is produced when prevailing winds collide against a topographic barrier such as a mountain range. In this way, the air is forced to ascendcreating a standing wave in the atmosphere that causes the air to cool and water vapor to condense, causing clouds with smooth and defined surfaces.
Source: Ambito
