Story By: John Feng, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

AsiaWire

This footage shows a stunningly rare cloud formation rippling up and down like waves at sea as strong winds move it like a blanket.

The time-lapse footage supplied to Asia Wire by photographer Mr Chen was captured over the county of Pingtan in East China’s Fujian Province on 1st April.

In the video, the thin layer of unevenly dark clouds cover nearly the entire sky and undulate as wind criss-crosses over and beneath it.

The cloud formation is known as an asperitas, which according to the Met Office is among the newest cloud types to be added to the World Meteorological Organisation’s International Cloud Atlas.

Resembling a rippling wave, asperitas formations have been known to occur after thunderstorms but, despite their dark hue, do not themselves produce rainfall, the UK national weather service says.

Leading Chinese weather analyst Hu Xiao said the formation is characterised by two points: rough bundles at the base of the cloud; and a large yet random wave motion.

The undulation is the result of wind passing through the atmosphere while varying between high and low altitudes, Mr Hu said.

While the precise conditions for forming asperitas are still a mystery, the acceptance of its classification in 2015 made it the first new cloud type since 1951.

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