'Spectacular' Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds observed on California coast (in Pacifica)

[usonian]

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/wave-clouds-form-in-pacifica-17290572.php
Cross-posted to Weather Watchers

Named for scientists Kelvin AND Helmholtz.

The clouds form when there are different wind speeds at different altitudes, and this often happens when air blows up and over a mountain or hill.

Taken by Tara Cronin in May, 2022


Taken by Peter Harrison over Montara Mountain on July 3, 2022

[2naSalit]

1. Wow!

Those are serious.

I saw some small ones yesterday.

[usonian]

3. Great stuff. I love cloud photos, even they aren't "fine art" per se.

They're just wonderful!
I get some nice ones from my ridge. That's why I got the 20mm lens.

[2naSalit]

8. I've spent the whole day...

Reviewing my photo archives from the last four years and I see that I have hundreds of pictures of every subject I like to take pictures of. Every subject, clouds included.

Good grief. I really need to clean up a bunch and make a line of calendars, cards, prints and maybe posters. I have captured some great pictures, my friends are threatening to have an intervention if I don't do something with them.

I have to figure out how to apply a watermark to them for online viewing before I put too much out there. I do confess to not having looked into it yet, I'm just starting to get a serious bug about it.

[usonian]

12. I hear you loud and clear. Been sorting, and falling behinder every day.

Depends on your computer. I got really tired of taking screensnaps to upload reasonable size images for DU, so I found a batch photo resizer in my apps directory, and a batch photo editor that claims to watermark. These can't cost much, because I am a real cheapskate with software (I am a free and open source software fanatic)

Problem with a watermark is that if I do it on DU, I am doxxing myself.
If I set up a front company for privacy in the Cayman Islands, the government will go after me before the billionaires hiding drug money.

Good luck. Share good ideas.

[2naSalit]

14. I'll let you know what I come up with.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Amazing photos! Thank you, my dear usonian! ♥

[usonian]

5. Thanks, that was a lucky find on Hacker News.

Nice to find it, however.
Gotta be thankful for small "wins".

[AndyS]

4. Surfs up! nt

[usonian]

7. Cloud surfing? Not for me. NT

[The Blue Flower]

6. I once saw some like the bottom photo in Seattle

It was around sunset and there were many of them. From the center of the formation, they were like waves breaking in opposite directions. I didn't have a camera, but it was so dramatic and unusual, the sight is etched in my mind.

[usonian]

10. Too bad. Do you sketch? Need a new hobby? "-)

I am old and forgetful, so I take a backpack with me when I drive.
I won't divulge the contents other than a small camera and a small bottle of oregano, which annoyingly, some places where I get pizza don't have.

Besides the phone, my "pocket" camera is a Panasonic Lumix with 8X zoom, which is really nice to have, and it fits in my pocket.

Lately, I carry the old Coolpix. I thought it was big until the new camera showed up.

I got this shot of the fire near the Mariposa Grove (Giant Sequoias) with it yesterday.

[Duppers]

17. Horrible!

[usonian]

18. Smoke finally made its way here overnight.

Lucked out until now. Firefighters are the best. Just have to trust them.

[LoisB]

9. Wow, wow, and wow!

[wendyb-NC]

11. Fascinating

Quite a sight to behold, it's art in the sky.

[HAB911]

13. WHOA, unbelievable

[Bo Zarts]

15. Textbook examples of K-H clouds!

I have been lucky enough to see and photograph this rare cloud form twice, once in Oregon and once in Louisiana. Thanks for posting these images.