Home / Editor's Pick /

What are mammatus clouds?

04:00 PM
February 19, 2022

Weather explained
What are mammatus clouds?

Mammatus clouds

Mammatus clouds were captured over Scotland this week as Storm Dudley travelled overhead. These strange, but harmless, clouds can look otherworldly but have a simple cause.

Derived from the Latin word mamma meaning udder or breast, these clouds form as warm saturated air sinks within a cumulonimbus thunder cloud.

The subsiding air eventually appears below the cloud bases as rounded pouch-like structures called mammatus. These clouds are usually seen after the worst of a thunderstorm has passed and the imposing formations can extend for hundreds of miles.

They can look particularly spectacular early and late in the day as the Sun's rays hit each pouch from a low position.

Weather & Radar USA editorial team
More on the topic
Saturday, April 26, 2025

Off the coast of Sardinia

Waterspout seen from cruise ship
rip current
Monday, May 26, 2025

As more head to the coast

Rip currents & safety tips
Sunday, June 22, 2025

Why & how does it work?

High pressure & extreme heat
All weather news
This might also interest you
Thursday, July 3, 2025

Daily briefing

Transitional day, before the forecast irons out
Sunday, July 6, 2025

Tropical Storm Chantal

Carolina's heavy rains, flood risk
Track hurricanes & tropical storms on the Weather & Radar app!
Sunday, July 6, 2025

Hurricane season

Track hurricanes on the app
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.com

instagramfacebookthreadsContact uslinkList
Privacy policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement