rotor cloud

[′rōd·ər ‚klau̇d]

(meteorology)

Turbulent, altocumulus-type cloud formation found in the lee of some large mountain barriers, particularly in the Sierra Nevadas near Bishop, California; the air in the cloud rotates around an axis parallel to the range. Also known as roll cloud.

rotor cloud

A cloud that forms on the downwind side of a mountain or hill feature. A wave motion is set up on the downwind side. Moist air moving up to the crest of a wave may cool enough to form a cloud. As it sinks to the trough, the cloud evaporates. The clouds thus seem stationary even though the air is moving in waves. The turbulence is often indicated by small rotor clouds at lower levels.

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roll cloud

References in periodicals archive ?

It was the same briefer who told me he had been looking at the weather some more and there was what looked to be a huge rotor cloud 40 miles long stretching across my proposed route of flight.

A tale of two flights

If you see rotor clouds, this is the altitude where turbulence is the worst.

Why it's so bumpy

But the UFOs were lenticular and rotor clouds -created by air being squeezed over mountains.

WOT A SCOTCHER; It's been our hottest summer ever

These are known as gravity waves, and may appear visually in the form of features like roll clouds or rotor clouds. The wavelength might be on the order of several miles.

Staying in one piece: most of the time, a bumpy ride is just inconvenient, but sometimes it knocks the stuffing out of us and endangers the airplane. Do you know why?

The presence of ridge-line cap clouds, chewy-looking rotor clouds in the lee and your classic wave lenticulars means only one thing: turbulence ahead.

Big blows: flying safely in high wind conditions is a matter of adopting the proper technique for your aircraft's weight and configuration

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