The clouds, which are quite rare in the UK, were spotted in northern parts of the country earlier this week, over Gateshead, Newcastle, Cumbria and Scotland.

Mid-level clouds include altostratus and altocumulus, while at lower levels, you can observe stratocumulus, nimbostratus, and cumulonimbus clouds (with “nimbus” meaning precipitation in Latin).

The cloud is called a hole-punch cloud due to its large circular appearance. This phenomenon is caused when there are altocumulus clouds in the sky. Tiny water droplets are colder than freezing ...

Fallstreak holes are circular or elliptical holes in altocumulus or cirrocumulus clouds. These clouds are made up of tiny water droplets at extremely cold temperatures. The water droplets do not ...

If it weren't for human technology, cavum clouds would never exist. They form when airplanes fly through banks of midlevel altocumulus clouds — clouds made of supercooled droplets — according ...

Fallstreak holes seen over Georgia on January 13, 2025. S ince altocumulus or cirrocumulus clouds often cover a wide area, several of these holes may appear on the horizon, especially in busy ...