Hovering like a flying saucer in the sky, these amazing layered cloud formations are called lenticular (lentil-shaped) clouds. They form near mountain ranges, where mountains disturb the airflow and create pressure waves.
Fast Facts
Pressure waves form as air flows over mountains and is forced upwards. This creates waves in the same way as a pebble creates ripples in a pond. Lenticular clouds form at the top of the waves, where the air is cool.
Cloud Cover
One of the world’s cloudiest places is South Africa’s Prince Edward Islands, with about 800 hours of sunshine all year. Sun lovers should go to Yuma in Arizona, USA, which has more than 4,000 hours of sunshine annually.
