“Undulatus Asperatus” (AKA some funky looking clouds!)

Sasha and I purposely overslept on Monday (actually we weren’t asleep, we were having some quality time, lazing and talking.) Sasha was late for school, but neither of us were very uptight about it, so we pulled lazily into the Sugar Creek parking lot at about 9am. As we were getting out of the car, I glanced upwards and saw this massive gust front rolling into Bentonville. Well, I pretty much fireman-carried her into the school, kissed her pretty little head and then ran back to the car and started driving east, looking to get out in front of the leading edge, hoping to get a clear view as it rolled by. I had my Sony R-1 with me, I carry it everywhere for just such occasions, so I was prepped.

I rushed east on Tiger Blvd, but soon realized that the front was moving faster than I first thought. I parked, jumped out and took a few images of the amazing clouds that were directly over the city. Back in the car and then made my blunder: I should have taken 102 east towards Avoca, but instead I opted for 12 east, thinking the system was moving SE. By the time I stopped for gas, the whole system was gone, and although I chased to Highway 23, I never caught up with it.

Anyone who saw these spectacular clouds won’t soon forget them. They are called Undulatus Asperatus. We think of the sky as being filled with gases, but where clouds are concerned, it’s more appropriate to think of water and fluid dynamics. What we witnessed Monday was akin to standing on the ocean floor and watching as the waves roll by overhead (in slow motion no less). Beautiful!

From Wikipedia:

Undulatus asperatus (or alternately, asperatus) is a rare, newly recognized cloud formation, that was proposed in 2009 as the first cloud formation added since cirrus intortus in 1951 to the International Cloud Atlas of the World Meteorological Organization.[1] The name translates approximately as roughened or agitated waves.[2]

Here is a google link to some very cool images of these types of clouds: HERE!

And here, humbly submitted, are my images of these amazing clouds: