© Debbie Cavers
I receive weather photos from readers almost daily, few which are as pretty and interesting as this one. , a project manager for the Orange County Parks system, says, "Coming into work this morning at approximately 8:15 a.m., I captured this unusual cloud formation, which was shaped like a pyramid.
"The photo(s) (there are two) were taken on Villa Park Road/Katella near Hewes heading east toward Saddleback Mtn. Within seconds, it disappeared. I don't think I'll ever see anything like this again."
Noel Isla, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, says the photo shows "mountain wave turbulence. Strong winds formed stratrocumulus clouds into the shape of a pyramid. You can see the wave of the cloud on the right side. The lower part of the cloud is 4,000 to 6,000 feet high, and was hiding the mountains. This is rare for the Orange County area, but not in the mountains further inland, where there is more turbulence."
Winds were very strong this morning, gusting to almost 40 mph in parts of Orange County and above 40 in the upper San Bernardino Mountains.