Or are they UFOs that look like clouds?

That's a great picture. I like the surreal underexposure of it.

Standing Lenticular clouds. If you were at that altitude, you would find high winds. They have a very smooth, sculpted look. The moisture condenses on the inflow side, flows through the layer as a mist and evaporates just as fast on the outflow side. Here, you are seeing a mountain wave effect with the peaks of the wave being in the colder region where the moisture is condensing. These can be even more spectacular when lit by sunset with all sorts of really amazing colors.

Also interesting to note that these clouds are treacherous for planes, usually occur at high altitude. I live near Lake Tahoe at about 6.5k ft and we see Lenticular clouds often. Pilots definitely fear them.

Great photo. I love cloudscapes and am a member of The Cloud Appreciation Society. http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/

We had a huge number of lenticular clouds today in Palm Springs. We get them regularly because of the mountain, but this was exceptional.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev0y7DMe0ug

Indeed, the clouds in Palm Springs today looked amazing. Especially against the clear blue desert sky.

IT HAS BEGUN!!!!!quick!! sell all your technology for ammo and await their next moves!!!

Hey Mark, saw the same ones here in the high desert(Phelan) today was very cool.

Rory

those clouds are cover for alien spaceships. they only look like clouds.

ACSL's usually mean bad turbulence. Flying near those bad boys could cause some serious damage to an aircraft.

I saw (and photographed) these same clouds from Pasadena today. Thanks for identification and further info.

I saw those beautiful things out in Riverside today. They were fantastic.

Yeah...clouds, sure.m ;)

That explains a LOT...

Sky from Tokyo http://tokyoundressed.blogspot.com/2006/09/my-sky.html

I've had the privilege of seeing lots of lenticular clouds, living in a mountain-ringed valley in northern Arizona. Vry cool.

While those clouds indicate some hefty winds aloft not all pilots avoid them. Glider pilots use them to soar to terrific heights by staying in the updraft part of the wave.

Great photo. Saw those same clouds!

Lenticulars are gorgeous, but you don't see them often. I recall an old black and white pic of Pike's Peak with a huge, perfect lenticular on top. Google Image Search doesn't kick that one out, but Mt. Fuji gets them too:

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Mount-Fuji-Japan-Posters_i1510977_.htm

I have never actually seen clouds like this before. It's truly amazing, they look like giant white marshmallow pancakes! Ah, child-like imagination has just swept over me like crazy. Sheesh.

Lenticular clouds are quite beautiful, and I wonder how many people today mistake them for UFOs. This number could hint at how many earlier UFO sightings may have been cloud formations mistaken for chariots of the gods.

The dry phrases above mask the overwhelming wonder I experience over aerial anomalies.

If only I could conjure a sentiment to express my brightening vision.

Peter J. Lupo Esq.
http://antiaging4geeks.com