Rare cloud formations ripple the sky over Ottawa
A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.
The clouds, known as asperitas clouds, are known for their distinctive formation that look like rippling waves.
"It looked biblical," Jody Harrison said. "We were just enjoying the rolling of them all from the west, just coming right at our place. So it was really cool."
The cloud formation was proposed and identified by the Cloud Appreciation Society in 2008.
Rare cloud formations in Ottawa's west end on Sunday. (Matt Skube/CTV News Ottawa)
The World Meteorological Organization added the asperitas clouds to its International Cloud Atlas in 2015. It is the latest cloud type to be added to its atlas and the first in more than 50 years.
Its name comes from the Latin word for "roughness."
"The thing about these clouds is, I mean, they're beautiful to look at, but they're scientifically really compelling as well, because we don't really understand why they form," Dan Riskin, CTV Science and Technology specialist, told CTV News Ottawa on Monday.
"I mean, they're kind of associated with bad weather, but they don't actually cause rain to come out. They tend to show up before a storm or after the storm, but not always. And they have this undulation to them. So they make for beautiful images."
Its not exactly known how the clouds are formed, but it is theorized they are most likely created when pockets of sinking, cooler air interact with winds that are changing direction from the cloud top to the cloud base.
The result produces the wave-like appearance.
A unique form of clouds, known as Asperitas clouds, over Carp on Sunday. (Iain Murphy/submitted)
Riskin says asperitas clouds happen "pretty frequently all over the place."
"It's the most recent cloud to be given a name, and we're still waiting for official word about why meteorologists believe these things form. It just really hasn't been articulated yet," Riskin said. "So, it's great that people took videos. It's great that people took pictures because those are data that will then be used to help inform those opinions."
Asperitas clouds were visible across eastern Ontario on Sunday, including in Embrun. (Lisa Gamelin/submitted)Rare Asperitas clouds were visible in Ottawa and parts of eastern Ontario on Sunday. (Stefanie Witt/submitted)
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
With files from CTV News Ottawa's Dave Charbonneau and CTV News Atlantic
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Hurricane Milton strengthens into a Category 5 storm. Florida orders evacuations
Florida's storm-battered Gulf Coast raced against a Category 5 hurricane Monday as workers sprinted to pick up heaps of appliances and other street debris left over from Helene two weeks ago and highways were clogged with people fleeing ahead of the storm.
'Selfish billionaire': Chip Wilson's mansion vandalized after political sign erected outside
Days after a political sign was erected outside Chip Wilson's Vancouver mansion, the waterfront property has been vandalized with graffiti.
Hurricane Milton has been upgraded to a Category 5 storm. What does that mean?
Hurricane Milton quickly intensified to a Category 5 storm on Monday, reaching the most dangerous rank on what's known as the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
Canadians head for higher ground as threat of Hurricane Milton nears Florida's Gulf Coast
The contents of entire homes have been kicked to the curb in one south Tampa neighbourhood. Piles of garbage bags, broken trees and waterlogged furniture serve as reminders of how unforgiving nature can be.
Two people injured in apparent road rage incident, shooting in Toronto
Two people are in hospital after they were chased and shot at in what appears to be an act of road rage before eventually flipping their car while trying to escape, police say.
Sammy Basso, longest living survivor of rare rapid-aging disease progeria, dies at 28
Sammy Basso, who was the longest living survivor of the rare genetic disease progeria, has died at the age of 28, the Italian Progeria Association said on Sunday.
Senior charged after minivan set ablaze outside Vancouver City Hall
The day after a minivan was set ablaze outside Vancouver City Hall, a 78-year-old man has been criminally charged.
Canadian soldier wins compensation for cancer linked to burn pits after Veterans Affairs denied claim
A Canadian soldier who was exposed to toxic chemicals from burn pits while serving in Afghanistan has been awarded full medical compensation for testicular cancer after Veterans Affairs initially denied his claim.
A Canadian woman was recently diagnosed with scurvy. Here are the factors tied to the disease
Scurvy is not just an archaic diagnosis of 18th-century seafarers and doctors should watch for possible cases, according to researchers following a recent case.