Several peculiar clouds are having their moment in the sun as the World Meteorological Organization has officially recognized them in the pantheon of weather formations.
The assessment marks the first time in over three decades that the WMO has updated their International Cloud Atlas which details the various types of clouds that can appear in the sky.
It's worth noting that these newly-classified clouds are not discoveries, per se, and have actually been seen plenty of times in the past although they are generally fleeting formations.
However their addition to the cloud atlas gives them some proverbial meteorological clout as, for example, the previously dubbed 'rollcloud' has been given the more distinguished title of 'volutus.'
Since it has been 30 years since the cloud atlas has been updated, the ensuing years have allowed researchers and weather watchers far greater ability to spot and document fleeting formations that otherwise may have gone unnoticed.
The WMO credits the inclusion of the cloud Asperitas to just such a scenario, because it was largely researched by a group of weather-watching hobbyists.
Perhaps the most intriguing 'cloud' included in the collection of new formations is the contrail which is sometimes produced by an aircraft.
The classification could cause some consternation from conspiracy theorists who suspect that such formations are far more nefarious than simply being clouds.
On the bright side, the 'homogenitus' clouds, as they are now called, are formations derived from human activity, so the infamous chemtrails could technically be considered part of the club as well.
Coast Insiders can learn more about the chemtrail conspiracy and how it may be connected to weather modification by checking out the 12/15/2014 edition of the program featuring filmmaker and activist Shepard Ambellas.
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Source: Live Science