A mammatus cloud was captured on Saturday, April 12, in Nelas, Viseu.
The meteorological phenomenon was photographed by an observer who shared the image with the page ‘Meteo Trás-os-Montes’.
These clouds are among the most unusual and distinctive cloud formations, featuring a series of protrusions or pouches that hang from the base of a cloud, as explained by the Met Office, the UK’s national meteorological service.
Mammatus clouds are usually associated with large cumulonimbus clouds, which are directly linked to the occurrence of storms.
While they typically form at the base of cumulonimbus clouds, they have also been observed forming in other cloud types, such as stratocumulus, altostratus, and altocumulus.
“Mammatus clouds generally form in the most unstable cumulonimbus clouds, which also means there is the possibility of hail, heavy rain, and lightning nearby. If the air is cold enough during winter, they may even produce snow. Occasionally, mammatus can form in cloud types that do not produce rain, although this is much less common,” the report highlights.
Mammatus derives from the Latin mamma, meaning ‘udder’ or ‘breast’. Their striking appearance is most visible when the sun is low in the sky, with their pouches framed by sunlight.
