Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    What's that cloud? Turbulent waves in the sky

06:00
24 February 2023

What's that cloud?
Turbulent waves in the sky

Undulatus asperatus
Undulatus asperatus in Devon, England. - © Gruffalo Griffin

We recently received this ominous-looking cloud, that quite honestly doesn't even look real. But we're here to tell you it very much is.

The cloud pictured above is "Asperitas" or "Undulatus Asperatus", translating as "roughened wave" in Latin. It was sent in by Weather & Radar user Gruffalo Griffin in Devon.

These clouds are part of a relatively new classification category, proposed back in 2009 by Gavin Pretor-Pinney of the Cloud Appreciation Society.

They form when there is instability in the atmosphere aloft, but relatively stable air at the surface. They have a well-defined structure and often look similar to rough ocean waves from below. After all, the atmosphere is a fluid.

As the air moves up and down it creates long, rippling waves, which in turn produces dramatic visuals of the sky.

Recommended external content from YouTube

We need your consent to show content from YouTube. You can withdraw your consent at any time.

I agree that content from YouTube will be displayed to me.

Settings for external content

Privacy Policy
Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Satellite weather map of the UK and western Europe showing rain bands across Britain, a rain cloud icon over Scotland, and a thunderstorm icon near Belgium and northern France on Wednesday 13.05.
Wednesday, 13 May 2026

Hail also possible

Thunderstorm risk for parts of the UK
Radar image showing a thunderstorm cell over northern Italy, near Brescia and Bergamo. Next to it, several large white hailstones in a hand.
Tuesday, 12 May 2026

Severe storms in Italy

Damage caused by large hailstones
Split satellite weather map of the UK showing cloud and rain moving northeast in the morning on the left, followed by brighter afternoon conditions with sunny intervals on the right.
Thursday, 14 May 2026

Dry start, then showers

Rain builds again through the day
All weather news
This might also interest you
Split image showing strong winds over the UK on a forecast map and widespread rain and snow on a weather radar map.
Tuesday, 27 January 2026

Severe gales & heavy rain

Storm Chandra makes impact
plit image showing a double rainbow over a rocky shoreline on the left and sheep grazing in a green field under stormy clouds on the right.
Sunday, 2 November 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Mixed conditions on an unsettled week
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday, 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList