Curious cloud formation puzzles Bishops Green resident

'Strange sky pattern over Newbury'

WHEN Colin Barrett looked up at the sky on Wednesday, he saw a rather strange cloud formation.

He took snaps of the curious phenomenon and posted them on Facebook, saying 'Strange sky pattern over Newbury'.

Mr Barrett, a former Clere School pupil, said: "They were taken at 11.45am as I sat in my garden at Bishops Green."

His post sparked a lot of curiosity with guesses as to what they were ranging from aliens or volcanic eruptions, to the cloud fan who posted that what he had seen was an altocumulus cloud.

According to the Met Office altocumulus clouds are: 'small mid-level layers or patches of clouds, called cloudlets, which most commonly exist in the shape of rounded clumps. There are many varieties of altocumulus, however, meaning they can appear in a range of shapes. Altocumulus are made up of a mix of ice and water, giving them a slightly more ethereal appearance than the big and fluffy lower level cumulus.'

And it goes on to say - rather pleasingly - 'Altocumulus clouds are generally associated with settled weather'. They will normally appear white or grey with shading.

Have you taken pictures of unusual clouds? Send them to geraldine.gardner@newburynews.co.uk and let's create a gallery