This Altocumulus stratiformis cloud spreading over Dog Island, Florida, US was spotted by Velma Frye (Member 50,366). Stratiformis is the species of the mid-level cloud Altocumulus that extends over a large amount of the sky like this. The glancing angle of the evening light shows also that the Altocumulus has formed at more than one layer, the lower of which is lit while the higher is in shadow. This is the variety of Altocumulus known as duplicatus. Velma’s Altocumulus is also displaying a patch of virga. That’s the soft streak of cloud extending down just to the right of middle. This cloud feature is where the Altocumulus droplets have frozen into ice crystals, which have grown large enough to fall, only to dissipate away in the drier air below. In summary, then, that’s Altocumulus stratiformis duplicatus with virga – which is also known as a nice sunset.
Saturday 4th April 2026
April 4, 2026