Clouds come in many shapes and sizes - one of the most unusual, known as a Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud formation, was seen in the skies over Billings on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
KRTV meteorologist Erik Johnson explains:
What are "Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds?"
From the Cloud Appreciation Society:
The breaking-wave appearance is caused by wind shear. When cloud develops at an abrupt boundary between layers of colder air below and warmer air above, and the upper layer is moving more rapidly than the lower one, undulations can develop along its upper surface. If the amount of shearing is just right, these undulations can roll up into a succession of vortices.
