A dramatic and unusual cloud formation left Canadians staring skyward in amazement and flooding social media with photos of the wave-like spectacle.
Thunderstorms rolled in over parts of Ontario on Sunday, October 6, but it wasn’t the flashes of lightning afterwards that had people talking.
Just before the storm, many found themselves under a thick blanket of clouds with an almost even ripple effect.
Andy LaBelle/Facebook
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) identified the clouds seen over the eastern region of Ontario as asperitas clouds.
☁️ Very nice Asperitas clouds are visible through parts of eastern Ontario including Ottawa this afternoon. Thank you for the great pictures!#ONstorm #ONwx
— ECCC Weather Ontario (@ECCCWeatherON) October 6, 2024
Canadians who witnessed this unusual formation shared videos and photos online.
Mediocre timelapse of rare clouds in #ottawa. needs more FPS next time pic.twitter.com/MXZGoqGDtu
— Mike Bouchard (@b0uch3) October 7, 2024
Insane cloud formations in #ottawa this evening! @ctvottawa @Ottawa_Tourism @ottawacity @OntarioTravel @Onstormtracker #onstorm pic.twitter.com/QJtj4EDotC
— Chitwan (@ChitwanAr) October 7, 2024
Me neither, it was an ominous feeling for sure! pic.twitter.com/lPa8SEuORz
— Holly’s Hobby (@Irishblessin80) October 7, 2024
5:20 pm Sunday October 6. Wild Asperitas clouds with rolling thunder. Very cool. #ONStorm ##ONwx #Ottawa pic.twitter.com/WK4WvYOYoT
— Ian Black (@BlacksWeather) October 6, 2024
#Asperitas clouds from the drone in #Richmond near Ottawa. #ONStorm #Ottawa #ShareYourWeather @ECCCWeatherON @ReedTimmerUSA pic.twitter.com/u5SrvfHmRC
— EO Storm Chasers (@EO_StormChasers) October 6, 2024
When the sky can’t decide if it’s magical or just plain weird 🤔 #skyvibes #naturebeingextra #asperitas #asperitasclouds #onstorm #ottweather #ottawa #canada #today @NarcityCanada pic.twitter.com/oXBvsiE7jW
— Esha Tewari (@eshatewari) October 7, 2024
What causes asperitas clouds?
According to the Farmers’ Almanac, the apocalyptic-looking clouds are rare formations that can occur during severe thunderstorms or tornado season.
While it’s unknown exactly how they’re formed, scientists believe they’re created by turbulent air “similar to air found in storms and along weather fronts.”
The clouds get their name from the Latin word “aspero,” which means “to make rough or uneven.”
If you snapped a pic of the gorgeous clouds, send us a photo at [email protected].