KentOnline

bannermobile

News

Sport

Business

What's On

Advertise

Contact

Other KM sites

CORONAVIRUS WATCH KMTV LIVE SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTERS LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS LISTEN TO KMFM
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
News

Unusual ‘mammatus clouds’ spotted glowing orange and red during sunset over Kent

By: Liane Castle lcastle@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 10:47, 12 September 2024

Updated: 12:18, 12 September 2024

An “unusual” formation of bumpy clouds was spotted over the Kent skyline glowing a vibrant red at sunset.

The phenomenon was captured stretching across the county from Whitstable, Seasalter and Herne Bay to Ashford, Faversham and Canterbury last night.

The bumpy clouds seen in Whitstable are thought to be mammatus clouds. Picture: Sally Pepper
The ‘mammatus clouds’ were glowing red and orange as the sun set over Whitstable. Picture: Sally Pepper

Residents across the towns shared pictures of the formation, with many suggesting they could be mammatus clouds.

According to the Met Office, mammatus clouds are some of the most unusual and distinctive formations with a series of bulges or pouches emerging from the base.

They usually form in association with large cumulonimbus clouds, more commonly known as thunderclouds, which extend high into the sky in towers or plumes.

mpu1

John Vincent, of Sandgate, said: “They were incredibly striking, I’ve not seen these in the year I’ve lived here.

Read more!
The red and orange clouds could be seen in Faversham
How the clouds looked over Whitstable. Picture: Sally Pepper

“I was driving along the coast from Sandgate towards Hythe and there was this huge downpour from exceptionally dark clouds.

“Moments later the sun was beaming down, the glare from the road made it very tricky to drive – we needed to drive half the speed limit.

“About three rainbows could be seen hanging over the channel and it wasn't long afterwards these cloud formations briefly appeared.”

Typically, turbulence within the cumulonimbus cloud will cause mammatus shape to form.

The sunset glowing through the clouds sent them a vibrant red and orange colour.

The clouds were turned a vibrant colour at sunset. Picture: Emma Levy
A rainbow poking through the red clouds was captured in Seasalter. Picture: Stacey Moon
The red and orange clouds could be seen in Faversham

Sally Pepper, who saw the clouds over Whitstable, said: “It was amazing to see. I’ve never seen anything like that.”

One Facebook user said she saw something similar in Margate and described the clouds as “fascinating”.

mpu2

After explaining how they are formed, another commenter said the clouds were “very pretty and not seen super often”.

“One of my favourite cloud types,” she added.

Another commenter described them as “so weird but pretty cool”.

A rainbow was spotted protruding through the bottom of the formation in Seasalter.

More by this author

sticky

© KM Group - 2024