‘UFO’ lenticular clouds wow North East skywatchers

Following our recent read on the ‘UFO-like’ formations, our followers quickly came forward with more stunning snaps of the lenticular cloud formations from the weekend, commenting on their similarity to sci-fi spacecrafts.

We’ve picked some of our favourite snaps, captured across the North East from Darlington to South Shields, after the disk-shaped clouds had us all looking up.

(Image: Julia Anne Hall)

These lenticulars don’t behave like typical fluffy cumulus clouds; instead, they tend to sit in one place for a long time, forming and fading in the same spot, which only adds to the eerie, other-worldly effect.

One Facebook commenter wrote: “I had to look twice, they didn’t look like clouds.”

Lenticular clouds form when stable, moist air is forced to flow over high ground, such as the Pennines or the Cheviots, creating a series of invisible waves on the downwind side.

This snap, captured near Bishop Auckland, demonstrates the sharp edges of lenticulars, giving them that other-worldly appearence.

Lenticular cloud near Bishop Auckland (Image: Michelle Postma)

As the air rises at the crest of each wave, it cools, moisture condenses, and the distinctive lens shape emerges.

When the air descends, the cloud evaporates, leaving behind the sharply defined, cut-out appearance.

The conditions over the weekend were just right for their formation.

During the heatwave, strong temperature differences at different levels of the atmosphere and changes in wind speed with height made these waves more pronounced, increasing the chances of lenticular clouds forming.

With clear blue skies, warm evenings and half the region outside for the bank holiday, it was the perfect recipe for these mini UFO clouds and some stunning photos to go with the science.