"Mackerel Sky?"
Raleigh, NC - November 2008 (Click to embiggen)
When I was young I heard my uncle (a US Navy weather officer) call this a "mackerel sky". I never made the connection between the ribbed clouds and a fish myself, so I just chalked it up to a "Navy Thing" and forgot about it. Until I see the same kind of formation, and then I wonder all over again. If any of our Sky watching brethren knows where this term came from how about filling me in?
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41 comments:
It does look like fish scales! New way too look at the sky!! :)
Wonderful clear sky today after all the gloomy cloudy sky for the past 2 days.
Now that I my kind of sky, love it!!!
Have a great weekend!
Guy
Regina In Pictures
I'm familiar with the term, and it does look like a mackeral to me. Makes a nice picture anyway.
I agree with Bobby! My grandfather was a sea captain and after he retired, he'd go out fishing maker ell for lunch. They are really one of the most beautifully coloured fish I know, and their pattern is very similar to the above. It even has the touch of silver, which makes the mackerels shine.
I must agree with the above. having seen mackerel when we used to fish during my years in England this sky does resemble the patterns of that fish. A very beautiful sky it is too.
Such a beautiful sky!
Great photo...pretty sky with little touches of blue peeking thru...
I never much appreciated the comparison...until a Skywatcher posted some images of a mackeral's belly. The coloration was so like this sky. I think it might have been our friend Tom Wigley who did the educating.
I learned another term; great mackerel sky btw.
Holy Mackerel .. what a sky!
I like what Daryl said, Holy Mackerel - What a sky!!! hehehe
Those clouds are very beautiful :) Great captured.
Beautiful sky!
I like the undulations in the sky, Mojo. As to what makes it a mackerel sky...well, I dunno. I'm still working on how to SPELL mackerel. LOL
Mojo, I am a HUGE skywatcher and this is one of the finest I've seen. I love the contrast with the black of the buildings and the bare trees.
That type of ribbing sometimes happens in fine, wet sand as well. I used to look at those ribbed formations in the sand as a little kid and always thought of fish.
Great photo, as always.
I am familiar with the mackerel skies, and I believe the name comes from the likeness with the pattern on the mackerels skin.
Great shot!
I am familiar with the mackerel skies, and I believe the name comes from the likeness with the pattern on the mackerels skin.
Great shot!
Somewhere in the recesses of my mind swims this term, but I had never put scales and sky together.
Wonderful imagery!
Mojo! It's been a busy week, and I feel like I haven't "seen" you in a long time. I would agree with the theory that the clouds have arranged themselves in the pattern of a fish's scales. I do admit, however, that I've never seen a whole mackerel. The extent of my exposure to mackerel consists of opening a can of it that has pictures of cats on the label.
Happy Friday!
Tink *~*~*
NOW PLAYING at My Mobile Adventures *~*~* :
Sanibel Skies Over Fragile Marine Ecosystems
Very beautiful!
p.s. I didn't know they were called mackerel skies till I started doing sky watch.
I never heard that expression. I will look at the sky differently now.
Interesting.
Maybe because it looks like a school of Mackerel shimmering under the surface of the water.
Pretty skies, nice choice for Sky Watch!
Good skywatch photo, well done.
Wow, i've never seen such skies before. Now I know if I see the same, I'd know it's mackerel sky. Thanks for the info.
Great capture. I didn't know, either, but it looks as if Sandy did.
Holy mackerel! What a beautiful sky. I think it's means that it has a mother-of-pearl-fish scale kind of a look. It's a great catch (pun intended). Happy SWF!
it's a wow but i think it's scary too. thanks for sharing. :)
happy sky watch and happy week-end!
i played too this week here - http://www.midlifedancing.com/2009/03/sky-watch-42.html
Arlene
I have not heard of this term, but buttermilk skies, yes. Lovely shot!
gorgeous
very well named, looks kinda cold...
I have learnt so much about skies and cloud formations just through skywatch. Last year I was clueless, this year I'm like oh yes beautiful rendition of a Mackerel sky.
Beautiful sky no matter what you call it. I can see the connection though.
I never heard the term, but it does make sense.
Great catch of a fishy looking sky!
So much texture in those clouds!
That is a wonderful sky capture. Amazing cloud formation and colors. It does look like a filleted piece of fish. :)
It's my first time to hear that - a Mackerel sky. But now that you've mentioned it, yes, it sort of resembles a fish. Beautiful sky! Unique!
Great photo!
Beautiful sky W.F.
Have a nice weekend!
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