After the South Coast was treated to a spectacular sunrise thanks to a layer of altocumulus clouds over the region Monday, many residents also witnessed strange holes in the sky later in the day.
Story continues below advertisement
1/7
Monday, Jan 28th 2019 Sunrise. Photo credit Richard Ayotte
Richard Ayotte
View full screen
2/7
Sunrise Monday, Jan. 28th.
Photo credit Michael Weber
Michael Weber
View full screen
3/7
Sunrise Monday, Jan. 28th.
Photo credit Michael Bertoia
Michael Bertoia
View full screen
4/7
Monday, Jan 28th 2019 Sunrise. Photo credit Naomi Noda, New Westminster
Naomi Noda, New Westminster
View full screen
5/7
Monday, Jan 28th 2019 Sunrise. Photo credit Mike Jones, Maple Ridge
Mike Jones, Maple Ridge
Fallstreak hole spotted Monday, Jan 28th.
Randy Mennie
View full screen
13/19
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Larry and Anne, Abbotsford
Larry and Anne, Abbotsford
View full screen
14/19
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Mike Curran, Langley
Mike Curran, Langley
View full screen
15/19
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Paul Hoadley, Mount Washington
Paul Hoadley, Mount Washington
View full screen
16/19
Monday, Jan 28th 2019 Sunrise. Photo credit Teri Hubbs, Abbotsford
Teri Hubbs, Abbotsford
View full screen
17/19
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Rob V., Abbotsford
Rob V., Abbotsford
View full screen
18/19
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Tom Parlee, Nanaimo
Tom Parlee, Nanaimo
View full screen
19/19
Old Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Tracey Berube, Sidney
Tracey Berube, Sidney
View full screen
They’re caused by areas in the clouds where the water has dropped below freezing but hasn’t yet frozen into ice crystals.
Story continues below advertisement
This water is said to be in a supercooled state. The reason it hasn’t frozen is a lack of “ice nuclei” — tiny particles onto which ice crystals can begin to form.
These ice crystals then fall, creating the wispy part of the fallstreak hole. But they aren’t able to fall very far. They melt and evaporate quite quickly.
Story continues below advertisement
The hole is formed by both the loss of water in the cloud by ice crystals falling and another result of the Bergeron Process which causes the rest of the water in the cloud to evaporate.
The holes were spotted in areas of southwestern B.C. such as Abbotsford, Comox, Sidney, Nanaimo, Maple Ridge and Langley.
1/6
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Rob V., Abbotsford
Rob V., Abbotsford
View full screen
2/6
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Ken in Comox
Ken in Comox
View full screen
3/6
Old Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Tracey Berube, Sidney
Tracey Berube, Sidney
View full screen
4/6
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Tom Parlee, Nanaimo
Tom Parlee, Nanaimo
View full screen
5/6
Fallstreak Hole Monday, Jan 28th 2019. Photo credit Isabel Gibson Maple Ridge
Isabel Gibson Maple Ridge