Unless you routinely peruse weather satellite imagery, chances are you've never seen clouds aligned in a form like the one above. With spiral arms rotating around a central hub, it looks vaguely like a wagon wheel.
Arresting Atmospherics: Wagon Wheel Cloud Formation Whirls Over the Pacific
The cyclonically-rotating cloud feature moved across the East Pacific Ocean in mid-November, roughly midway between Hawaii and California.
A cloud feature resembling a wagon wheel and known scientifically as an actinoform cloud is seen in this satellite image acquired on Nov. 16, 2021. (Credit: NOAA RAMSDIS)
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