Popcorn clouds / myLot

Japan

October 5, 2017 1:43am CST

Today we had pretty alto-cumulus clouds all day. Sometimes they were striped across the sky and sometimes thicker, as in this picture. Some people call them popcorn clouds. I pointed them out to some of my students and said, "Look! Popcorn clouds!" They asked me if they were really called that. I said no, they were alto-cumulus clouds. One of the girls said, "I will call them cotton candy clouds. Either way they look delicious!" What do you see in clouds?

9 people like this

14 responses

Judy Story

@jstory07 (141446)

• Roseburg, Oregon

5 Oct 17

I love taking pictures of the sky because the clouds are always moving and changing.

5 people like this

The Fly One

@aureliah (24334)

• Kenya

5 Oct 17

Such a nice hobby. Interesting

peachpurple

@peachpurple (13961)

• Malaysia

5 Oct 17

I see cottons that are used to dab my face!

3 people like this

The Fly One

@aureliah (24334)

• Kenya

5 Oct 17

Hahaha. That makes the two of us.

2 people like this

peachpurple

@peachpurple (13961)

• Malaysia

5 Oct 17

@aureliah yeah, wish i could reach the sky

1 person likes this

The Fly One

@aureliah (24334)

• Kenya

5 Oct 17

@peachpurple sleep and in your dreams you will

hahahaha

2 people like this

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Cahaya

@cahaya1983 (11116)

• Malaysia

5 Oct 17

Nice picture! I call those fish-scale clouds

1 person likes this

Denise

@petatonicsca (7070)

• Japan

6 Oct 17

Japanese say iwashi-gumo, sardine clouds

1 person likes this

Cahaya

@cahaya1983 (11116)

• Malaysia

7 Oct 17

@petatonicsca Now I know a new way to call those clouds

Judy Evans

@JudyEv (345136)

• Rockingham, Australia

5 Oct 17

Those clouds do look lovely. Cotton candy was always called 'fairy floss' when I was young.

2 people like this

ARM

@responsiveme (22926)

• India

5 Oct 17

Both cotton candy and popcorn seem to fit. I see people and animals at times

2 people like this

The Fly One

@aureliah (24334)

• Kenya

5 Oct 17

You are always teaching something new. Now I know popcorn clouds

1 person likes this

Denise

@petatonicsca (7070)

• Japan

6 Oct 17

Don't ear them, though

1 person likes this

Blondie2222

@Blondie2222 (28611)

• United States

6 Oct 17

They do kinda look like popcorn clouds, not sure what i would call them. The moon tonight was pretty bright also, it's amazing what views you can see in the sky day or night.

1 person likes this

maezee

@maezee (41988)

• United States

5 Oct 17

Those are very cool indeed.

1 person likes this

prashu

@prashu228 (37520)

• India

6 Oct 17

Cotton candies is apt i feel.. very nice picture

Shavkat

@Shavkat (140209)

• Philippines

5 Oct 17

Nice shot! For me, I think I can see cotton candies in the sky.

1 person likes this

RasmaSandra

@RasmaSandra (82189)

• Daytona Beach, Florida

5 Oct 17

I love watching clouds always some interesting shapes.

Denise

@petatonicsca (7070)

• Japan

6 Oct 17

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing.

1 person likes this

ingrid

@ridingbet (66854)

• Philippines

6 Oct 17

they are cirrus clouds, am i right? or maybe stratus?

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ingrid

@ridingbet (66854)

• Philippines

7 Oct 17

@petatonicsca oh. i thought cumulus clouds are the lowest 'flying' clouds and cirrus is the highest. if altocumulus, from the 2 root words 'alto' (high in Spanish language, please correct me if i am wrong), and cumulus, then it is the highest 'flying' cumulus clouds in the sky. heeheh! i don't know if i am uttering the same thoughts as you.

Denise

@petatonicsca (7070)

• Japan

8 Oct 17

@ridingbet Altocumulus clouds are in between cumulus and cirrus so they are more "alto" than regular cumulus.

1 person likes this

Denise

@petatonicsca (7070)

• Japan

6 Oct 17

I think they are altocumulus. They are also ribbed so we can call them herringbone clouds but that's not a scientific term.

1 person likes this