#cedar mountain

From Earth Science Picture of the Day; June 4, 2018:

Lenticular Cloud Above Southern Utah University Photographer and Summary Author: Maya Akpinar

I noticed this lenticular cloud while standing on the roof of the science building at Southern Utah University. The temperature, wind flow and moisture were uncharacteristically variable for early April in southern Utah. The air was moist and breezy, and I could see the other clouds moving past this lenticular formation. It was not going to be long-lived, so I quickly grabbed my phone and took this shot.

Lenticular clouds are a particular favorite of mine. I first learned about them on Earth Science Picture of the Day. Technically called altocumulus lenticularis, understanding exactly how they form can be a little tricky. Most sources indicate that lenticular clouds form when warm, stable air moves up a mountainside, is pushed over the top to the other side where it then sinks, cools and creates a sort of pool of condensation on the downwind, protected side of the mountain.

But why are these clouds lens-shaped or in this case, spaceship-shaped? When the wind moves up and over the mountain it creates a wave pattern on the other side. At the crest of the wave the temperature is often lower than at the trough of the wave. This is because as air rises it cools. If the temperature drops to the dewpoint (the temperature at which condensation occurs) then you get a cloud forming near the crest of the wave only. The cloud continually forms in the space near the crest; then it sinks until reaching the trough of the wave where the air is warmer and the dew point is lower. This causes the cloud to vaporize at the bottom of the trough and thus once again disappear, creating the flat bottom to the cloud. For this reason, the lenticular cloud is usually stationary. It’s like an eddy in a river that forms behind a rock. The diagram is two-dimensional, but if you imagine this occurring in three dimensions, then you can visualize how the atmospheric activity just described can result in disc-shaped, stationary clouds, like the one in my picture. The mountain that created the waves allowing this cloud to form is Cedar Mountain, just to the east of Southern Utah University. Photo taken on April 5, 2018.

Photo Details: Camera: Apple iPhone SE; Software: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6.10.1 (Macintosh); Exposure Time: 0.0002s (1/6000); Aperture: ƒ/2.2; ISO equivalent: 25; Focal Length (35mm): 78.

Southern Utah University Coordinates: 37.6764, -113.0713

Related Links

Cap Cloud and Lenticular Cloud Formation

Student Links

Cloud Boutique

Earth Observatory

Original video caption:

'Untamed, Wyoming's Red Desert' is a personal take on one of my favorite areas in Wyoming. Like most of the country, large portions of the Red Desert have seen a fair share of development. But there are still a handful of pristine, wilderness quality areas scattered throughout the vast landscape, and a majority of them are surrounded by large sections of public land. This video is a wandering tour through many of those locations. They are referred to as Wilderness Study Areas by the federal government, and have been in a limbo status, somewhere between protected and outright ignored, for over 20 years. A wider awareness of these places appears somewhat limited, as most of these WSAs receive only a handful of visitors every year. If you're looking for accessible, wilderness quality experiences, with unparalleled solitude, surrounded by some of the largest herds of wildlife in the United States, the Red Desert should be on the top of your list.

This video is dedicated to my baby daughter. It is with enthusiasm that I look forward to the opportunity to share these places with her when she is old enough to appreciate them for their uniqueness and beauty. It is our responsibility as stewards of these public lands to keep them safe so that future generations may enjoy them. And to pass on a joy and passion for the wild spaces to those willing to accept it. If we let these places lose their limited protections, they'll never be the same. The Red Desert has many fragile ecosystems that do not recover well from damage caused by development.

Ashley Holbrook created the custom track for this video. He was an absolute pleasure to collaborate with. Social media: facebook.com/ashleyholbrookfilmmusic/ Website: ashley-holbrook-itjj.squarespace.com/ SoundCloud: soundcloud.com/ashholbrook1994

Areas photographed in this video: Alkali Draw Wilderness Study Area Devil's Playground Wilderness Study Area Honeycomb Buttes Wilderness Study Area Oregon Buttes Wilderness Study Area Red Creek Badlands Wilderness Study Area Twin Buttes Wilderness Study Area Big Sandy Foothills with focus on Elk Mountain and Prospect Mountains Cedar Mountain Kinney Rim