Wave Clouds

small-scale eddies can be formed by a number of processes in the atmosphere:

• flow over a mountain generating:
  • wave clouds
  • rotor circulations on the leeward side of the mountain - bad for airplanes and gliders!!
  • rotors can have strong vertical motions
  • waves and rotors sometimes generate clear-air turbulence (CAT)
• wave clouds are commonly seen in satellite imagery:

QUESTION FOR THOUGHT:

Why is it dangerous during hang gliding to enter the leeward side of the hill when the wind speed is strong?