Atlantic Island Cloud Vortices: Satellite Views
- A striking satellite image reveals multiple von Kármán vortices swirling off at least six islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
- Von Kármán vortices occur when wind encounters a landmass, disrupting airflow and creating rotating vortices, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
- The cloud swirls in the photo cover approximately 260,000 square miles.
Witness an incredible display of nature’s power! This article explores a rare meteorological phenomenon: von Kármán vortices swirling off multiple Atlantic islands, as captured by a NASA satellite. See the amazing detail of cloud formations near Madeira and the Canary Islands. Analyzing the forces behind these striking atmospheric patterns, News Directory 3 provides an in-depth look at how wind interacts with landmasses to create these mesmerizing secondary_keyword cloud swirls. Discover what’s next as scientists study these phenomena to understand weather patterns.
Rare Cloud Swirls Spotted Off Atlantic Islands
Updated October 27, 2023
A striking satellite image reveals multiple von Kármán vortices swirling off at least six islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The phenomenon, captured by NASA’s Terra satellite on May 20, 2015, showcases an unusually widespread display of these rare cloud formations.
Von Kármán vortices occur when wind encounters a landmass, disrupting airflow and creating rotating vortices, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These vortices become visible when clouds are caught in their rotation.
The cloud swirls in the photo cover approximately 260,000 square miles. NASA’s earth Observatory notes this as one of the most extensive examples of concurrent vortices ever observed.
The most defined swirls appear off Madeira, a Portuguese archipelago. The high cloud concentration vividly illustrates the disturbed air’s movements.
(Image credit: NASA/Terra satellite)
Less distinct swirling trails are also visible off the Spanish Canary Islands: La Palma, El Hierro, la gomera, Tenerife, and Gran Canaria.Vortices from La Gomera and Tenerife appear to interfere with each other.
The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) reports that Madeira and the Canary Islands are among the best locations to observe von Kármán vortices due to their high peaks, temperatures, and relative isolation from continents.
(Image credit: NASA/Terra satellite)
These swirls are also frequently seen near Guadalupe in the Caribbean.EUMETSAT estimates that a pair of von Kármán vortices forms somewhere on Earth every eight hours.
What’s next
Scientists continue to study von Kármán vortices to better understand atmospheric conditions and their impact on weather patterns.