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Mount Washington Observatory shares photo of unique cloud formation

“Typically, there are only one to two layers in a lenticular cloud, but the biggest one this afternoon had over seven!”

January 22, 2024

1 minute to read

For decades, he’s been heading to the summit of Mount Washington to cook and clean. Here’s why.

Staff at the Mount Washington Observatory were treated on Monday to the sight of layer upon layer of lenticular clouds.

The observatory shared a photo of the stationary lenticular clouds, which are formed at high altitudes, typically in high winds and downwind from a mountain range.

“Lenticular clouds form in the crests of gravity waves created by relatively stable, fast-moving air when it is forced up and over a mountain oriented perpendicular to the wind direction,” staff wrote. “Typically, there are only one to two layers in a lenticular cloud, but the biggest one this afternoon had over seven!”

The staff atop the summit of Mount Washington weren’t the only ones to spot the uniquely-shaped clouds. In the comments of the observatory’s Facebook post, several people shared photos of the UFO- and pancake-shaped looking clouds spotted from below the mountain.