What are Lens Clouds? (Altocumulus lenticularis)
Lens clouds are saucer, lens or lentil-shaped clouds that form when wind blows moist air over mountains. Their formal name is Altocumulus lenticularis (lenticula means…
Tag: Secret World of Weather
What is a Distrail?
A distrail is the clear path through a cloud formed in the wake of an aircraft. Distrails form because the aircraft turns the water droplets…
Why is visibility so good in the mountains?
Many visitors to cold mountains are struck by the amazing visibility. The visibility is so good that it can trick the brain into thinking things…
Three Generations of Nature Readers
My thanks to Kareem Dieng and his family for reading my books. That’s Kareem with The Secret World of Weather, ‘Pops’ reading Lost Art of…
The Secret World of Weather – Paperback Out!
The paperback of The Secret World of Weather is out today – in the UK! I am very excited by that and this morning’s weather…
A Plein-Air Artists’ Manual
One of the great joys of natural navigation is that it intrigues such a wide variety of people, something it shares with food. We can’t…
Which Way Are We Looking? Basketball Edition
I walked out this morning into a white and frosty world to discover lots of interesting patterns in the land. Two questions: What direction are…
Snow that Survives
There is plenty of snow on this tree stump, but very little nearby, why? The stump means that the tree that was once there has…
What is a Frost Hollow?
A frost hollow is a local low point in a landscape where cold dense air collects overnight. It is also known as a ‘frost pocket’.…