Monday, January 29, 2007

Hole Punch Clouds


I studied hole punch clouds, but I had never seen any until today. If you noticed something a little funny in the skies above this afternoon, you weren't alone. Here is picture that WLBT viewer Richard Sheffield emailed to me.


It is believed that airplane interaction with these cloud decks leads to their development. The hot exhaust from airplanes/jets causes evaporation in the center. In this particular shot, you can see streaks of cirrus clouds falling through them. The cirrus ice crystals have formed on the exhaust particles left by the exiting airplane. Cool, huh?

Tonight my friend Taryn Foshee, Miss Mississippi, will compete for Miss America. I was one of Taryn's judges the first time she was chosen as Miss Clinton. She was a 17 year old senior at Hillcrest Christian School, but we knew then she would go on to be Miss Mississippi one day. She certainly had the capability.

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