Why ‘UFO’ clouds were spotted over North East this Bank Holiday

Strange, saucer‑shaped clouds had plenty of people in the North East glancing at the sky over the Bank Holiday – and checking their photos twice for UFOs.

The unusual formations, spotted from Darlington to Sunderland, looked uncannily like flying saucers stacked on top of each other, hanging almost motionless.

What people were really seeing were lenticular clouds – rare, lens‑shaped clouds that often get mistaken for unidentified flying objects because of their smooth, sculpted edges and layered, ‘spaceship‑like’ appearance.

Lenticular clouds over Sunderland during the bank holiday weekend (Image: Ian Maggiore/Northern Echo Camera Club)

They 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.

That stillness against a hazy blue backdrop is exactly what made them so eye‑catching during the Bank Holiday heatwave.

Lenticular clouds usually develop when stable, moist air is forced to flow over higher ground, such as the Pennines or the Cheviots, and begins to ripple in a series of invisible waves on the downwind side.

Lenticular clouds over Darlington during the bank holiday weekend (Image: Claire Bott/Northern Echo Camera Club)

As the air rises at the crest of each wave it cools, the moisture condenses and a distinctive, lens‑shaped cloud forms; as it sinks again, the cloud evaporates, giving that sharply defined, “cut‑out” edge.

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