January 2, 2013 – Advgrrl Motorcycle Adventures & More

When traveling I always find myself taking time to look at the clouds all around us. This batch of photos intrigues me hence the post. Enjoy the 60 pics of some of the craziest cloud formations I have ever seen.

By Hal Amen On July 25, 2012

Cloud varieties go way beyond the cumulus, stratus, and cirrus we learn about in elementary school. Check out these wild natural phenomena.

STANDING IN A CORNFIELD IN INDIANA, I once saw a fat roll cloud (like #4 below) float directly over my head. It’s a 12-year-old memory that remains fresh. There was a moment of mild panic just as the cloud reached me — Is this what a tornado looks like right before it hits? I thought. This is some freaky unnatural shit and I do not know how I’m supposed to react.

I imagine a lot of these photographers having similar hesitations as they set up for the shots below. While it was relatively easy to put together this collection due to the huge number of crazy cloud pictures available online (did you know there’s a Cloud Appreciation Society?), many of the phenomena shown here are pretty rare…and potentially panic-inducing.

1. Lenticular cloud, Mt. Fuji, Japan

Altocumulus lenticularis is one of the more obviously ‘bizarre’ cloud types — they don’t occur too frequently, so when you see one, you take notice. They often form above or near mountains, as moist air flows rapidly over a rise in elevation. Mt. Fuji makes a pretty sweet base for this one.