November 22, 2024, 6:49 am | Read time: 3 minutes

What travelers to New Zealand may currently find remarkable is a familiar sight for the locals. There is an unusually shaped cloud that can be seen in the sky over the Otago region – time and time again. Clouds are known to move and disperse depending on weather conditions. The remarkably stable Taieri Pet, however, always returns in the same shape. Find out more at TRAVELBOOK.

This is how NASA explains the lenticular cloud over New Zealand

In September, the US space agency NASA published a detailed report on the stable cloud over New Zealand. It is identified as a lenticular cloud, a term that captures its unique shape. According to the report, such clouds are the product of special weather patterns and geographical features. At the observed location near Dunedin in Otago, strong winds hit a “topographical barrier”, specifically a mountain range. The wind is thus forced to flow over the mountains, creating an atmospheric wave. As the air cools during its ascent, the water vapor within it condenses. This explains the distinctive, lens-like shape of so-called lenticularis.

‘A common feature in the sky’

Consequently, the atmospheric conditions contribute to the cloud’s remarkable shape stability. In the NASA report, a New Zealand meteorologist describes Taieri Pet as a common feature in the sky. The recurring presence of the lenticularis is attributed to the region’s characteristic strong northwesterly winds. The mountain range over which they have to pass – called the Rock and Pillar Range – is characterized by a particularly prominent height. “As the cloud forms on the crest of this wave, it remains almost stationary in the sky,” explains the expert.

NASA has succeeded in capturing a sharp image of the Taieri Pet with its Landsat 8 earth observation satellite (see above). Naturally, the impressive 11.5-kilometre-long cloud over New Zealand also captivates those on the ground. Social media is abuzz with stunning amateur photographs of the phenomenon.

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A rare, but not unique phenomenon

There are also other places in the world where strong winds meet mountain ranges – therefore, where lenticularis clouds can form, sometimes remain for long periods, or return. These include the Alps, for example. In particular, the Andes of South America are renowned for their frequent sightings of robust lenticular clouds, mirroring the conditions found in New Zealand.