March 31, 2015
Jon Martin/Youtube
Undulatus asperatus clouds move over South Carolina on Monday.
Residents of Georgia and South Carolina witnessed a strange weather phenomenon Monday that made the sky look like a violent ocean of clouds.
According to the Weather Channel, clouds known as undulatus asperatus appeared overhead in sections of the two states. The wavelike clouds are usually seen following thunderstorms and are known for their defined and fast movements.
A graphic from meteorologist Brad Panovich helps explain what conditions cause these clouds:
Cool wave clouds this morning were more than likely Asperatus Undulatus Clouds causes be elevated warm layer. #scwx pic.twitter.com/wps6KZzARj
— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) March 30, 2015
Indeed, the air is actually rolling about a horizontal axis in a roll cloud. Once a roll cloud passes, you can expect gusty winds coming from the direction the roll cloud approached you.
The clouds were captured Monday in this time-lapse video from the Augusta Chronicle:
The Washington Post notes that the undulatus asperatus clouds are not yet officially recognized by the International Cloud Atlas despite lobbying from the The Cloud Appreciation Society.
Here are some more pictures of the 'agitated clouds' that rolled through the region Monday:
Undulatus Asperatus! #GAwx RT@NewsJared Crazy clouds here in Statesboro,GA! #ItsAmazingOutThere @weatherchannel pic.twitter.com/bDmZCLhmN1
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) March 30, 2015
Unbelievable shot of undulatus asperatus this morning, taken by Danny Buxton in Smoaks, SC. #scwx #chswx pic.twitter.com/2T11cG7uwv
— Kyle Dennis (@KyleDennisWx) March 31, 2015
Wow. Amazing photo in Sandersville today of undulatus asperatus clouds. Photo by Dana Wiggins. #gawx pic.twitter.com/SHN05aev8t
— Matt Daniel (@mattdanielwx) March 30, 2015
#UndulatusAsperatus photo taken by Stan Dodson/Burke County High School. #GAwx @CarolinaWxGroup pic.twitter.com/LXOS8kq0es
— Rich Rogers (@RichWeather) March 30, 2015
