What Is a Banner Cloud?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. What is a banner cloud?

The Big Idea

A banner cloud streams from a mountain peak like a flag flying in the wind! It appears on one side of a steep, pointed mountain. The cloud looks like it is waving.

Wind Splits

Step one: wind goes around. A steep, pointed mountain forces the wind to flow around it. That is like water flowing around a rock in a river. Air behaves like a fluid, too.

Low-Pressure Pocket

Step two: a low-pressure pocket. The wind leaves a pocket of low pressure on the sheltered side of the peak. Moist air gets pulled up into the pocket, like a straw pulling up a drink.

Cloud Appears

Step three: the cloud appears. As the moist air cools, it forms a cloud that streams away from the summit. The Matterhorn is a famous place to see one.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! It starts with a tall, pointed peak. Wind flows around both sides of it. A low-pressure pocket forms behind the peak. And moist air makes a cloud banner, like a flag.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Banner clouds can stretch for miles. The Matterhorn, in the Alps, is a famous place to see one. They are most common on tall, steep peaks. A banner cloud shows which way the wind is blowing.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! Tape a thin tissue strip to the back of a pencil. Hold the pencil upright and blow gently across its front. Watch the strip flutter behind the pencil. That swirling air is like the air behind a peak.

Outro

A banner cloud is a flag of cloud made by wind swirling around a peak. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!