Can you guess why these ‘angry’ clouds are called Mammatus?

Incredible but ominous-looking clouds were spotted near Kamloops Wednesday night, captivating many Global BC viewers in the area who sent us photos describing the clouds as “angry.”

While these clouds are a result of thunderstorms or cumulonimbus clouds, the round, pouch-like clouds are actually quite harmless and typically occur after the worst of the thunderstorm has passed.

They are called “mammatus clouds.” The word mammatus was derived from the Latin term “mamma,” meaning breast or udder.

The clouds are created by the strong up and down drafts within a thunderstorm or cumulonimbus cloud.

The descending air can sometimes drop below the bottom of the thunderstorm, creating these pouch-like or udder-like formations.

Although mammatus clouds are found most often under cumulonimbus clouds, they can also occur under other types of clouds too.

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