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
Derecho iowa
Sunday, June 22, 2025

Stay severe weather-aware

What are derechos?
Waterspouts weatherradar.
Monday, May 26, 2025

They can be dangerous

Waterspouts possible, what are they?
Saturday, May 3, 2025

May astronomy outlook

Meteor shower and the Flower Moon
All weather news
This might also interest you
Wednesday, July 16, 2025

Daily briefing

Severe weather moves to the Midwest, NE flash flood
Friday, July 18, 2025

Daily briefing

Moisture, instability meet & impacts eastern half
Friday, July 11, 2025

Daily briefing

Severe storms possible for Great Lakes, Cali's heat
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.com

instagramfacebookthreadsContact uslinkList
Privacy policy | Legal info | Accessibility statement