Britisher claims discovery of new type of cloud

Washington, June 5 (ANI): A British cloud enthusiast has claimed to have discovered a new type of cloud.

According to a report in National Geographic News, Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society, began getting photos of "dramatic" and "weird" clouds in 2005 that he didn't know how to define. few months ago, he began preparing to propose the odd formations as a new cloud variety to the UN's World Meteorological Organization, which classifies cloud types.

Pretor-Pinney jokingly calls it the "Jacques Cousteau cloud," after its resemblance to a roiling ocean surface seen from below.

But, the cloud fan has proposed a "formal," Latin name: Undulus asperatus roughly, "a very turbulent, violent, chaotic form of undulation," explained Pretor-Pinney, author of the new Cloud Collector's Handbook.

According to Margaret LeMone, a cloud expert with the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, it's likely that the cloud will turn out to be a new variety.

"Having a group of people enthusiastic about clouds can only help the field of meteorology," she added.

Asked how has such a striking cloud type could go unrecognized, Pretor-Pinney cites its rarity and the proliferation and portability of digital cameras.

"Technology has allowed us to have this new perspective on the sky," he said. (ANI)