The Mountain was out

Photo by Yancy Burns

The Mountain was out on Wednesday afternoon. It hasn't been seen here for a long time, so it was a special treat.

It had one of the flying saucer clouds floating on the peak. One of our claims to fame in the Northwest is that those clouds are said to be the origin of the whole aliens in flying saucers story.

Reader Nikki Legas says they are Altocumulus Standing Lenticular Clouds. 

According to the National Weather Service,

"they are associated with waves in the atmosphere that develop when relatively stable, fast moving air is forced up and over a topographic barrier that is oriented more or less perpendicular to the direction from which the upper-level wind is blowing. 

"This deflection creates a gravity wave downwind of the topographic barrier not unlike a wave you might generate by throwing a pebble into a pond. When sufficient moisture is present above mountain-top level, ACSL clouds develop within the crest of these mountain waves where the air is rising."

Sad that one of the clearest views of The Mountain is from I-5.

DKH