Interesting cloud formation spotted in sky over the tri-state. Here's what caused it

Some interesting looking clouds were spotted all across the tri-state area today, and it's something that we don't usually see. Scott Sincoff breaks down what caused it.

Scott Sincoff

Oct 18, 2023, 5:03 PM

Updated 412 days ago

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Some interesting looking clouds were spotted all across the tri-state area today, and it's something that we don't usually see.
We have two different kinds of air - a warm air mass and a cooler air mass. Think of it like an oven. In today's weather, the warm air is at the ground and the colder air is higher in the sky. The cold air sinks and causes stratus-like clouds to cover across the sky since the air can't sink into warm rising air.
The warm air, in turn wants to make puffy cumulus clouds - and it still does - but then these two different types of clouds meet, with one cloud pushing up and the other pushing down. The end result is something that looks like a giant thumb in the sky.
Check out some pictures below:
Keyport. Photo: Bob McCall/News 12 New Jersey