Mammatus Clouds over Sicily | Earth Science
Photographer Giuseppe Pappa: "A spectacular display of mammatus clouds (Cumulonimbus mammatus) captured this afternoon over Pedara, a village located on the southern slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy. These bulbous, pouch-like structures formed at the base of a severe thunderstorm cell, creating an ominous yet mesmerizing sky. Mammatus clouds typically occur when cold, saturated downdrafts sink rapidly into warmer, drier air beneath the storm's anvil, causing ice crystals to sublimate and produce these smooth, pocketed shapes."
Mammatus clouds are actually altocumulus, cirrus, cumulonimbus, or other types of clouds that have these pouch-like shapes hanging out of the bottom. The pouches are created when cold air within the cloud sinks down toward the Earth. They can indicate a risk of severe weather.
Location: Pedara, Sicily, Italy
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