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
Police release bodycam video of officer-involved incident at Hindu temple protest in Brampton, Ont.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
Some Scotiabank users facing 'intermittent' access to banking days after scheduled maintenance
Scotiabank users say they are having issues using their bank’s services following a scheduled maintenance period that ended days ago.
W5 Investigates Car security investigation: How W5 'stole' a car using a device we ordered online
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
'Countless lives were at risk:' 8 charged, including teen wanted in deadly home invasion, after West Queen West gun battle
A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
A look at how much mail Canada Post delivers, amid a strike notice
Amid a potential postal worker strike, here’s a look at how many letters and parcels the corporation delivers and how those numbers have changed in the internet age.
Sandy Hook families help The Onion buy Infowars
The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones' Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than US$1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax.
B.C. woman who 'carried on' as mortgage broker, sent falsified documents ordered to pay $35K
A woman from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been handed a $35,000 penalty after admitting she "carried on" as a mortgage broker in the preparation of 10 mortgage applications, despite lacking the necessary registration.
South African government says it won't help 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine
South Africa's government says it will not help an estimated 4,000 illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.
Trump hammered Democrats on transgender issues. Now the party is at odds on a response
After losing the White House and both houses of Congress, Democrats are grappling with how to handle transgender politics and policy following a campaign that featured withering and often misleading GOP attacks on the issue.