Clouds That Look Like UFOs: Lenticular Clouds

Lenticular Cloud Photographic Print - Michael Melford
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There are three types of lenticular cloud, the lowest is Stratocumulus Standing Lenticularis found at 8000 feet, the most common seen is the Altocumulus Standing Lenticularis, found between 8000 to 20,000 feet high. The highest one is the Cirrocumulus Standing Lenticularis, at over 24,000 feet and very rare because there are only a few mountains that are that high. Lenticularis is the Latin for lens, or lentil.

When strong moist air encounters a mountain, it ascends and drops the other side, then rises up again. This causes a wave wind, on the leeward side of the mountain. Wave winds are also known as lee winds or standing wave winds, it's a wind that remains in a constant position. On the crest of each wave a lenticular cloud forms due to adiabatic expansion cooling, which is where the air pressure is cooled below the dew point. Lenticular clouds are normally at right angles to the wind direction.

See the diagram below, which illustrates how lee waves occur.

Wave Winds by Dake at Wikimedia Creative Commons

The appearance of lenticular clouds are smooth, giving the UFO flying saucer shape, or layered, uncannily like a stack of pancakes! An amazing feature of this cloud is that it appears to be completely stationary - often staying in the same place for many hours and sometimes days. This is due to the wave winds holding it in place.

Popular nicknames for these clouds are:

• Lennies


• UFO Clouds


• Flying Saucer Clouds


• Clouds of heaven


• Angelship clouds


• Wave clouds

UFO by sabertasche2, at Flickr Creative Commons

Exodus 24:16 (New International Version)
.....and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.

Alps and lenticular cloud by Shikhar ninjapotato at Flickr Creative Commons

The appearance of lenticular clouds means that there are strong winds, a wave wind has a strong vertical and downward movement - meaning turbulence. The mountain wave wind can occur for over 100 miles past the mountain range, and can exist up into the troposphere and down into the lower stratosphere. So, airplane pilots will avoid flying near lenticular clouds as it can mean extreme turbulence as the atmospheric conditions are so dramatic. Injury to airplane crew and passengers is very likely to happen.

However, glider pilots actively seek out standing lenticular clouds and mountain wave winds! The strong lift of this wind was first discovered by a glider pilot, Wolf Hirth in 1933. Gliding in a wave wind causes the air craft to soar dramatically, and glider pilots often need to use pressure suits and have oxygen masks to help them breathe.

Lenticular Cloud Sunset by Adam Fowler at Flickr Creative Commons

People often mistake altocumulus lenticularis clouds for UFOs or flying saucers, and who can blame them - they do look very other worldly! When the sun sets these clouds can look like something from a Salvador Dali painting.

Some people also believe that aliens hide in lenticular clouds, but why would they choose something so obvious? The psychologist Carl Jung believed that people see flying saucers just as people from ancient civilisations "saw" their gods in the sky. In this modern age, instead of Zeus or Odin, we see spaceships

Pancake Clouds! Lenticular Clouds at Lago Pehoe, Torres del Paine, Patagonia
by Sergio R. Nuñez C at Flickr Creative Commons

A mountain often photographed with lenticularis clouds is Mount Shasta in California, which is 14,179 feet high. Take a look at this webpage, Mount Shasta which explains why lenticular clouds are seen so often over this volcano.

Mount Shasta by Wood R.A, on Flickr

There is a myth that there is a secret kingdom inside Mount Shasta, inhabited by a mysterious hidden community called Lemurians. The Lemurians are advanced human beings with many supernatural powers and use spacecraft to travel out of the mountain. The below quote comes from Telos of Mount Shasta:
If a person goes to Mt. Shasta he or she may see a flying saucer from inside the mountain. They have several crafts called Motherships because they are capable of carrying many of the saucer crafts inside of themselves. These craft are about 360 feet long and cigar shaped. They normally appear around the mountain and they maintain a cloud around their crafts. The clouds look similar to natural lenticular clouds. I've seen them manifest as lenticular clouds. (John F. Winston)