What are the ‘UFO clouds’ seen hanging over the UK sky? | UK News

Rare clouds, which have historically been blamed for a number of UFO sightings, have been spotted over the northern UK sky.

The particular cloud formation got its nickname from the smooth, symmetrical oval or round shapes it produces, which many have compared to the science fiction depiction of flying saucers.

Some also refer to them as pancake clouds because they sometimes look flat and stacked.

But they are formally called lenticular clouds, a name derived from a Latin word meaning “lens-like”.

The clouds, which are quite rare in the UK, were seen in northern parts of the country earlier this week, over the likes of Gateshead, Newcastle, Cumbria and Scotland.

They form when the air is stable and the wind blows over hills and mountains from the same or similar direction at different heights through the troposphere – the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, according to the Met Office.

“When air blows over a mountain range, under certain circumstances it can set up a train of large standing waves in the air downstream, rather like ripples that form in a river when water flows over an obstacle,” it explains.

“If there is enough moisture in the air, the rising motion of the wave will cause water vapor to condense, forming the unique appearance of lenticular clouds.”

Do the clouds matter?

The UFO-shaped clouds may not beam anyone into the sky – but they can cause very strong, powerful winds on the ground in a concentrated location.

Pilots tend to avoid slinging near them because they can cause quite a bit of turbulence, the Met Office says, while skilled glider pilots like them because they act as a visual representation of where the air will rise.