This is morning glory season in the Gulf of Carpentaria and Burketown basked in a classic morning glory cloud formation on Monday.
Burke Shire Council shared this series of photos showing the formation of several morning glory clouds rolling through town in all their.. well… glory.
The Morning Glory cloud is a rare meteorological phenomenon where low-level atmospheric solitary wave and associated cloud likely caused by sea breezes, though their formation is not fully understood by meteorologists.
Morning Glories can stretch for up to 1000km and the Gulf of Carpentaria region is one of the few places they can be predicted and observed on a regular basis due to the configuration of land and sea in the area.
They are common around Burketown from late September to early November.
Luke Westerhuis from Savannah Aviation sent in the sensational shots from above the cloud but pilots are careful not to get too close due to turbulence in the clouds.
Mr Westerhuis told Burke Shire Council that the cloud seen on Monday stretched from Borroloola in the Northern Territory to Julia Creek.
Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
