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Strange Video of Dancing Cloud Explained By Electric Discharge

Posted by timothy on from the because-clouds-do-not-have-hormones dept.

The Bad Astronomer writes "A few months ago I was sent a really weird video showing a cloud snapping around suddenly, far faster than wind could explain. I asked a meteorologist about it, who told me it was due to ice crystals re-aligning when the cloud's electric field discharged. It's pretty amazing to watch, and a great example of how many cool things happen right in front of us that we never notice."

7 of 91 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Mythbusters! by errandum · · Score: 3, Insightful

    And since they won't be able to do it, the conclusion will be "busted" (even though it is actually possible).

    I love the show, but when they conclude stuff because they can or can't do something it kind of pisses me off :(

  2. I studied meteorology by catmistake · · Score: 2

    Speaking as someone who took a couple meteorology courses in college, I can confirm the Bad Astronomer's observation: it is weird.

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    The Admin and the Engineer
    1. Re:I studied meteorology by ColdWetDog · · Score: 4, Funny

      Speaking as someone who took a couple meteorology courses in college, I can confirm the Bad Astronomer's observation: it is weird.

      Obviously you didn't go on to get a meteorology degree. If you had, you would have stated that there was an 80% chance of it being weird.

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  3. Re:Reflection by John+Hasler · · Score: 4, Informative

    > ...something ... reflecting at just the right place...

    Yes. Ice crystals.

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    Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
  4. Sprite Lightning by bobdawonderweasel · · Score: 2

    This may be the ground observation of Sprite Lightning. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprite_(lightning)

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    "We'll cross the minefield under the cover of daylight..." -A. Rimmer
  5. I HAVE SEEN THIS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    I watch thunderstorms very closely. 2 summers ago I saw a thunderstorm over my hometown of Baltimore and saw exactly this kind of behavior. It was like the entire side of the cloud tower suddenly bent and twisted around. It looked impossibly huge and fast moving at the time, like a huge piece of sheet metal snapping around suddenly. It definitely smacked of some kind of electrical related effect. Very cool to see this confirmed.

  6. Electrification studies with radar by tuxicle · · Score: 2

    There was a rather large field campaign called The Severe Thunderstorm Electrification and Precipitation Study (STEPS) to study electrification done around the year 2000 that involved the use of polarimetric weather radar to observe electrified storms, in conjunction with the New Mexico Tech Lightning Monitoring Array (LMA).

    One of the nice things about polarimetric radar is the ability to measure the aggregate orientation of particles, including ice crystals. When scanning active electrified storms, the radars observed polarimetric signatures indicating increased vertical orientation of particles aloft (ice crystals), which then suddenly snapped back to roughly random orientation. This event corresponded well with measurements from the LMA. In other words, they could, using radar, predict lightning strikes. I love science!