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Last week, residents across the Cape were treated to a sighting of a solitary lenticular cloud blushing with a pink hue, courtesy of the setting sun.

Colloquially referred to as ‘UFO clouds,’ lenticular clouds typically appear when strong winds are present above a geographical feature, causing air to momentarily rise into the condensation zone.

Back in 2015, another lenticular cloud sighting had Capetonians buzzing with intrigue. The Washington Post took note of this reaction and responded with explanations of the meteorological phenomenon.

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According to its report, lenticular clouds form in stable atmospheric conditions with robust winds at higher altitudes. This phenomenon occurs when moist yet stable air glides over a mountain, generating stationary gravity waves on the downwind side, also known as the lee side.

The mountain range must align perpendicularly to the prevailing winds to facilitate lenticular cloud formation. If the air temperature drops sufficiently to condense the water vapour within it, the result is the emergence of these unique cloud formations.

Lenticular clouds are most frequently observed during the spring or winter months when the winds are at their most vigorous, earning them the moniker ‘New Mexico’s winter cloud.’

‘Since these types of clouds do not typically form over flat terrain, a vast majority of people have never seen them. Thus, it can be rather elusive and a shocking sight when seen for the first time,’ The Washington Post reports.

So there you have it; these clouds are completely benign and not a product of the imaginative genius of Jordan Peele.

They are simply the outcome of the fascinating interplay of meteorological forces.

Read more about lenticular clouds here.

Have a look:

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Picture: Screenshot / @clickshadow / Instagram

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