Page 89 - (DK) I Can’t Believe It! 2

STRANGE BUT TRUE! 87

FAST FACTS
Where Where the air
the air is is sinking and
rising and warming, cloud
cooling, evaporates.
cloud is
formed.
These mysterious banks of cloud stretch Rising
across the sky from one horizon to the other. air
Appearing regularly in early morning between
September and November, the clouds form in
northeastern Australia’s Gulf of Carpentaria, and Morning
glory cloud
roll in over Burketown, Queensland. The captivating
clouds form on waves in the atmosphere created Moisture-laden air blows in
when moist sea air meets a layer of drier air. from the sea at night, pushing
underneath a drier layer of air
blown out from the land and
The cloud rolls along creating a wave. Cloud is
at speeds of up to Morning glory clouds are
37 mph (60 kph). a dream come true for hang continuously formed in the
gliders, who can “surf” them upward current of the wave as
effortlessly, moved by the the moisture-heavy air rises, cools,
surrounding thermal winds. and condenses. In the downward
current, the cloud evaporates.
This continuous condensation and
evaporation forms the roll-shaped
bank of cloud.

Morning
glory clouds
can be longer
than 600 miles
(1,000 km).

US_086-087_309600_Morning_glory.indd 87 20/12/17 5:31 pm