Cavum Clouds | 09 Mar 2024

Source: NASA

Cavum clouds, also known as hole-punch clouds or fallstreak holes, have long captivated observers with their unusual appearance, often sparking speculation about extraterrestrial origins.

• Recently, it was found that Cavum clouds are formed when aircraft pass through mid-level altocumulus clouds containing supercooled liquid water droplets.
  • Altocumulus Clouds are mid-level clouds (ranging 2-7 kms) that form white or grey patches or layers. They often have a wavy or lumpy appearance.
• As the planes disrupt the air around them, the droplets freeze into ice crystals, which eventually become heavy and fall out of the sky, leaving voids in the cloud layer.
  • The falling ice crystals are visible as wispy trails of precipitation called virga.
  • This phenomenon was captured recently by NASA's Terra satellite showing cavum clouds over the Gulf of Mexico off Florida's west coast.