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Before the big thunderstorm arrived last Tuesday night, I sat outside and sketched some strange cloud formations.
They're called mammatus clouds, named so because their pendulous forms resemble an animal's udder or a woman's breasts. They are found at the base of anvil clouds, the giant cumulonimbus clouds that generate extreme thunderstorms.
As I made this quick notation with my water brushes, the wind whipped the treetops. The clouds swirled and turned green. Big raindrops started falling around me. I folded up my sketch gear and retreated indoors. Hail pounded the deck outside. Lightning flashed, then thunder. Suddenly the electric power died and stayed out for several hours.
I finished the sketch by the light of a kerosene lantern.
Mammatus clouds on Wikipedia
8 Comments on Mammatus Clouds, last added: 6/2/2012
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How romantic:) Like the old masters did it!
I always look at the clouds. Sometimes they are a painting on themselves.
nice pice
Just a word of warning. Green clouds indicate the distinct possibility of tornadic activity. If you see green clouds look for truly solid protection right away and don't wait for visual confirmation.
Yeah, where I come from (MN) these clouds mean tornados!
Really nice capture of how it looks ...
Great painting and remarks. The sky looks positively pregnant!
This sketch (and many of your others) is a nice reminder that there were times when someone wishing to visually record any such phenomena could do so only with a sketch. I wonder how many of us would be willing to forego photography for very long (not that I'm volunteering! :^))
For several years, I've been a member of an organization started in the UK, The Cloud Appreciation Society. At their website, cloudappreciationsociety.org, you can find many images of unusual cloud formations.
Green clouds around here always mean hale stones are a coming. ;)
Once my neighbor and me being there also, saw a cloud in the shape of a guy pulling down his pants and his full moon showing. Sadly when my neighbor came back out after going in for a camera, the cloud formation was gone.