June 15, 2009: Asperatus

[xoxoxoBruce]

I'm sure you know that different types of clouds have official names like cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and nimbus.
I think we discussed the mammatus clouds, that look like mammaries, here before.

Whipped into fantastical shapes, these clouds hang over the darkening landscape like the harbingers of a mighty storm.
But despite their stunning and frequent appearances, the formations have yet to be officially recognised with a name.
They have been seen all over Britain in different forms - from Snowdonia to the Scottish Highlands - and in other parts
of the world such as New Zealand, but usually break up without producing a storm. And some experts believe the stormy
weather phenomenon deserves its very own classification. Experts at the Royal Meteorological Society are now attempting
to make it official by naming it 'Asperatus' after the Latin word for 'rough'.

I think is an excellent idea... have as many different types of clouds defined and named as possible.
That way Scholars, Scientists, Meteorologists and Weather(wo)men, can communicate sightings and their consequences.

I say old chap, did you see the Asperatus formations last evening?
vs
Yo dude, didja see them fuckin' clouds lasnite?

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