Jeff_S Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 So I've read the latest news about some mysterious cloud that "shot up like a smoke plume" out of clear skies and caused the major turbulence on a jetliner in Hawaii. But I've not been able to find any reasonable analysis of what this actually was. Unless it was just some extreme convective event growing at incredible speeds, which would seem a bit odd. Has anyone else seen any meaningful explanation of what this "shooting cloud" could be? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtVandelay Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 Volcano? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N201MKTurbo Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 It could just be orographic lifting. The winds runs flat across the ocean than hits a mountain and is shot upward. If the temp and humidity was right, it could have made a spectacular cloud. It would normally just make a lenticular cloud, but I’ve seen around here where the lifting initiates a convective cloud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 In August 1985 at DFW a small cumulus cloud at 6000' became a towering CB with tops over 60,000 feet in less than 5 minutes and brought down Delta 191 with its wind shear. Sometimes referred to as "heat bombs" they are small isolated pockets of heat that due to a number of factors from topography to crossing winds aloft get isolated into a column and from there you are off to the races. A reason why I am always nervous about being on top of a cumulus layer in particular when I see rapidly shifting winds aloft along with high humidity. The Pacific is rife with the problem. You fly there long enough you will get spanked by sudden and unexpected turbulence. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Dennstaedt, PhD Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 It was just an overshooting top within some convection they happened to stumble into. You can see it here on the visible satellite image. That turret is creating a pretty good shadow to the NNW. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted January 16, 2023 Report Share Posted January 16, 2023 I always like to see my winds aloft in tabular format because it give me a good alert if I am seeing a "round up". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thinwing Posted January 20, 2023 Report Share Posted January 20, 2023 so they didnt have airborne radar to paint that cell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeBee Posted January 21, 2023 Report Share Posted January 21, 2023 If the tilt is too high and the tops are ice, they won't paint. Equally so, if the wet tops form below the tilt you'll miss it. One of the dangers of the "parked" tilt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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