Friday, April 22, 2016

Cumulogranite


Flying doesn't always occur in clear weather. On our way home from Corvallis we flew over clouds, fairly thick in places. Smaller mountains were completely obscured. Only the tall Cascade volcanoes poked their heads through.


In flying, mountains obscured by clouds are sometimes called cumulogranite. You need to know where you are and avoid entering clouds in mountainous areas unless you are under instrument flight rules (IFR). Inside clouds may be bumpy, but they are filled with air. Cumulogranite has a hard core, hence their nickname.


Mt. Rainer near Seattle was sporting a cap cloud. Cap clouds form over mountain peaks when moist air cools and condenses as it is forced up the slopes and over the top. The remain relatively stationary, just like the mountain is wearing a cap. -- Margy

4 comments :

  1. Wow! Now that is a spectacular mountain view! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

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  2. Wonderful photos - and as always, I learned something new. Your blog posts are so helpful - even though I don't have a plane - and don't fly on commercial planes - it is good to know about the clouds - and see the beautiful photos.

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    1. We don't get to fly our plane as much any more, but when we do it's lots of fun. - Margy

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Thanks for stopping by. Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome. - Margy