# Neat Sierra Nevada range standing wave cloud pix.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 18, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715 "2004-05-18T04:31:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715/1 "2004-05-18T04:31:54Z")

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I took these just tonight (17 May). The cloud parallels the Sierra Nevada mountains on the skyline for about 6o miles from southeast to northwest. Looking northwest.

[Picture No. 1](http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=/St+Dp&.dnm=c11d.jpg) was taken about 7:15 PM.

[Picture No. 2](http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=/St+Dp&.dnm=5674.jpg) was taken about 7:45 PM.

The clouds form when there are strong winds aloft from the west. This creates a standing wave in the atmosphere and when the wind goes up over the crest of a wave the moisture condenses out. This forms a cloud that stands still even though the wind might be blowing through it at 60-80 mph.

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**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715/2 "2004-05-18T04:39:07Z")

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For some reason, clicking on No. 2 knocks me off line. [Try this.](http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=/St+Dp&.dnm=5674.jpg)

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**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715/3 "2004-05-18T05:20:33Z")

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Yep, love those Sierras…I’ll be there in 2 weeks.

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**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2004, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715/4 "2004-05-18T15:41:47Z")

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Wow - those are cool. I love cloud pix, thanks!

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**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715/5 "2004-05-19T03:43:28Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> This forms a cloud that stands still even though the wind might be blowing through it at 60-80 mph.

Yeah, this pretty much sums up my existance. :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![yosemite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/3ab097/32.png) [@yosemite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yosemite)\
**Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/neat-sierra-nevada-range-standing-wave-cloud-pix/245715/6 "2004-05-19T06:04:30Z")

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Wow. Stunningly beautiful. Thanks for letting us see them!