Waves in the sky: Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds spotted in Canada
A woman in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, saw a strange, wavy cloud in the sky on Feb. 22, 2025, and took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to crowdsource an answer.
"Does anyone know what is happening here? I saw this cloud formation this afternoon in Calgary looking to the west. It's a first for me." Anne Wilkie posted on X.
What she saw was a Kelvin-Helmholtz wave cloud, named after Hermann von Helmholtz, who discovered the atmospheric instability that leads to this phenomenon.
These waves in the sky are formed similarly to ocean waves, where high winds blow over the water, sculpting the flat water into wave formations. In the atmosphere, which acts similar to a fluid, this happens between two layers of different air densities.
Kelvin-Helmholtz instability has also been spotted on the sun and Saturn.
While these wave clouds typically form in clear conditions, as Wilkie saw in Calgary, they can also form ahead of thunderstorm shelf clouds of severe thunderstorms in rare instances, as shown in the photo below.
Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds, ahead of a thunderstorm shelf cloud in Roanoke, Illinois, in June of 2006. (AccuWeather/marygarrels)
The AccuWeather photo blog also featured Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds seen over the Big Horn Mountains near Sheridan, Wyoming, on Dec. 6, 2022.
Kelvin-Helmholtz wave clouds at Big Horn Mountains near Sheridan, Wyoming, Dec. 6, 2022. (Rachel Gordon)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here's why Alaska just issued its first heat advisory
Parts of Alaska are under heat advisories for the first time in recorded history, following the transition from a previous advisory system, according to officials. The National Weather Service previously issued information about high temperatures using special weather statements. However, starting June 1, the weather service permitted heat advisories to be issued in Alaska, Adam Douty, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, told USA TODAY. The National Weather Service might have implemented the new system "just to better convey the impacts" of the heat, Douty said. Hawaii and the other 48 states in the contiguous United States already use heat advisories, making Alaska the last state to switch to the warning system. Areas across the state are seeing highs in the upper 80s, according to Douty. However, further up north, temperatures dip, with areas of Alaska seeing temperatures in the 60s. The heat advisory in Alaska will be in place from 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 15 to Tuesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. local time, according to the National Weather Service. Areas in the Central and Eastern Interior, including Tanana, Fairbanks, Fort Yukon and Eagle, should expect temperatures from 85 to 89 degrees. "It'll definitely be warm, especially for Alaska's standards," said Douty. There are also flood advisories in northern parts of the state, as ice and snow in the area could melt rapidly with the heat, according to Douty. Some areas in Alaska are also under red flag warnings until 11 p.m. local time on Monday, June 16. "A Red Flag Warning means that conditions are occurring or will occur which could lead to the development of large and dangerous fires," according to the National Weather Service. Areas under red flag warnings are: Dalton Highway Summits Yukon Flats White Mountains High Terrain South of the Yukon River Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Alaska has issued its first heat advisory
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Here's why Alaska just issued its first heat advisory
Parts of Alaska are under heat advisories for the first time in recorded history, following the transition from a previous advisory system, according to officials. The National Weather Service previously issued information about high temperatures using special weather statements. However, starting June 1, the weather service permitted heat advisories to be issued in Alaska, Adam Douty, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, told USA TODAY. The National Weather Service might have implemented the new system "just to better convey the impacts" of the heat, Douty said. Hawaii and the other 48 states in the contiguous United States already use heat advisories, making Alaska the last state to switch to the warning system. Areas across the state are seeing highs in the upper 80s, according to Douty. However, further up north, temperatures dip, with areas of Alaska seeing temperatures in the 60s. The heat advisory in Alaska will be in place from 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 15 to Tuesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. local time, according to the National Weather Service. Areas in the Central and Eastern Interior, including Tanana, Fairbanks, Fort Yukon and Eagle, should expect temperatures from 85 to 89 degrees. "It'll definitely be warm, especially for Alaska's standards," said Douty. There are also flood advisories in northern parts of the state, as ice and snow in the area could melt rapidly with the heat, according to Douty. Some areas in Alaska are also under red flag warnings until 11 p.m. local time on Monday, June 16. "A Red Flag Warning means that conditions are occurring or will occur which could lead to the development of large and dangerous fires," according to the National Weather Service. Areas under red flag warnings are: Dalton Highway Summits Yukon Flats White Mountains High Terrain South of the Yukon River Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Alaska has issued its first heat advisory
USA Today
17 hours ago
- USA Today
Here's why Alaska just issued its first heat advisory
Here's why Alaska just issued its first heat advisory Show Caption Hide Caption Cargo ship carrying electric vehicles catches fire, crew abandons ship Crew members of the Morning Midas, which was transporting thousands of vehicles, were forced to abandon ship after a fire broke out onboard. Parts of Alaska are under heat warnings and advisories for the first time in recorded history, following the transition from a previous advisory system, according to officials. The National Weather Service previously issued information about high temperatures using special weather statements. However, starting June 1, the weather service permitted heat advisories to be issued in Alaska, Adam Douty, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather, told USA TODAY. The National Weather Service might have implemented the new system "just to better convey the impacts" of the heat, Douty said. Hawaii and the other 48 states in the contiguous United States already use heat advisories, making Alaska the last state to switch to the warning system. Parts of Alaska placed under heat advisory Areas across the state are seeing highs in the upper 80s, according to Douty. However, further up north, temperatures dip, with areas of Alaska seeing temperatures in the 60s. The heat advisory in Alaska will be in place from 1 p.m. on Sunday, June 15 to Tuesday, June 17 at 7 p.m. local time, according to the National Weather Service. Areas in the Central and Eastern Interior, including Tanana, Fairbanks, Fort Yukon and Eagle, should expect temperatures from 85 to 89 degrees. "It'll definitely be warm, especially for Alaska's standards," said Douty. There are also flood advisories in northern parts of the state, as ice and snow in the area could melt rapidly with the heat, according to Douty. Red flag warning in Alaska Some areas in Alaska are also under red flag warnings until 11 p.m. local time on Monday, June 16. "A Red Flag Warning means that conditions are occurring or will occur which could lead to the development of large and dangerous fires," according to the National Weather Service. Areas under red flag warnings are: Dalton Highway Summits Yukon Flats White Mountains High Terrain South of the Yukon River Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
