In the Gulf of Carpentaria, In the Gulf of Carpentaria, northern Australia, between northern Australia, between

September and November, an September and November, an extraordinary phenomenon of extraordinary phenomenon of

unparalleled beauty: the unparalleled beauty: the morning glory cloud.morning glory cloud.

If the weather situation is calm, If the weather situation is calm, every morning when the sun every morning when the sun

rises, a wave-shaped cloud, 1.6 rises, a wave-shaped cloud, 1.6 to 3.2 kilometres high and 600 to 3.2 kilometres high and 600 to 1,000 kilometres, ie, that it to 1,000 kilometres, ie, that it fills the horizon, moving at a fills the horizon, moving at a

speed of 40 kilometres per hour.speed of 40 kilometres per hour.

Sometimes there are several Sometimes there are several waves and always aligned from waves and always aligned from

east to west. The cause is a east to west. The cause is a clash of air masses of different clash of air masses of different

temperatures.temperatures.

In the early hours of the morning, a In the early hours of the morning, a mass of warm, moist air, from the mass of warm, moist air, from the

sea, slips over the cooler air that is sea, slips over the cooler air that is in the upper layers. In late 2006, in the upper layers. In late 2006, scientists from several countries scientists from several countries

traveled to study the phenomenon, traveled to study the phenomenon, which occurs in many places in the which occurs in many places in the world. It has been observed on the world. It has been observed on the

Catalan coast of Spain.Catalan coast of Spain.

The clash of air masses takes The clash of air masses takes place in Spain, but does not place in Spain, but does not result in the formation of this result in the formation of this

peculiar cloud. This peculiar cloud. This phenomenon is unique to phenomenon is unique to

Australia.Australia.

Since 1989, every spring, when Since 1989, every spring, when the phenomenon occurs, hang the phenomenon occurs, hang gliders and paragliders cloud gliders and paragliders cloud surf waves like waves in an surf waves like waves in an ocean. You have to be careful ocean. You have to be careful because the waves produce because the waves produce strong turbulence and can be strong turbulence and can be dangerous. They fly in zigzag dangerous. They fly in zigzag patterns and can travel up to patterns and can travel up to 480 kilometres480 kilometres

Por : J. Eduardo Juárez HerreraPor : J. Eduardo Juárez Herrera