Interesting Atmospheric Phenomena Continue in the Desert

We continue to have interesting skies in the day time around Mitzpe Ramon. On Thankgiving day we had beautiful mares' tail cirrus in the sky for most of the day.

Mares' tail cirrus above the Visitor Center in Mitzpe Ramon. (Click for full size image.)

Detail of mares' tail cirrus clouds

Earlier in the week we had mackerel skies at dusk. Both of these cloud formations, mares' tail clouds and mackerel skies, are indicative of unstable weather and storms ahead, hence the folk saying: "Mackerel scales and mares' tails make lofty ships carry low sails", in anticipation of the great clippers of yore having to lower their sails in a storm.

Mackerel skies above Mitzpe Ramon. (Vega is the bright star at top center.)

But all of Israel continues in a drought, with no storms following in the wake of these clouds.