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Thunderstorms Trigger Mysterious "Rippling Ocean" Clouds in the Highlands
11 Oct
Summary
- Storm Amy causes power cuts, tree damage, and internet outages
- Unusual "asperitas" clouds spotted in Scotland after the storm
- Met Office says these rare clouds are linked to thunderstorms
On the weekend of October 9th, 2025, Storm Amy swept across Scotland, leaving a path of destruction in its wake. The powerful storm caused widespread power outages, brought down trees, and damaged sub-sea internet cables to the remote islands of Shetland and Tiree.
In the days following the storm, something unusual began to appear in the skies above parts of Scotland. BBC Weather Watchers captured stunning images of rare "asperitas" cloud formations, which the Met Office describes as a new and mysterious cloud type that resembles "rippling ocean waves in the sky."
According to the Met Office, the appearance of these unusual clouds is linked to the thunderstorms that accompanied Storm Amy. While the exact cause of the asperitas formations remains unknown, the agency says the clouds require highly unstable atmospheric conditions to form.
