Photos: Striking fallstreak clouds punch holes through Southern skies

Beautiful fallstreak clouds punched round, gaping holes in the skies across the South today.

@rzweather @MegTom_WX @RichardWVUA23 @spann. Collage of fallstreaks over Tuscaloosa today pic.twitter.com/wB7PTthTeR

— Perfectly Blended BBQ (@pblended_bbq) December 29, 2015

These clouds, seen in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, form when water vapor is suspended in subfreezing air, but the vapor has not frozen because there is a lack of particles for it to freeze around (or nucleate).

When particles are then introduced, the vapor starts to freeze and falls towards the surface, leaving a void or hole at cloud level, but streaks of cloud underneath.

[The stunning cloud that packs a punch: The Fallstreak, as viewed from Australia]

Here’s a sampling of some of the magnificent clouds, many obtained via the Twitter feed of meteorologist James Spann out of Birmingham.

A pretty hole in the clouds. @spann #decembersky #clouds #sunshine #Godscanvas pic.twitter.com/F0BugckF5C

— Tammy (@oboyd) December 29, 2015

Interesting cloud formation in Northport, Alabama. @spann @ttownwx @953thebear pic.twitter.com/EbvtvG3h2D

— k_m (@SmartChix) December 29, 2015

@spann hole punch cloud in Tuscaloosa, AL above @AASS35th pic.twitter.com/bPkSpNqEeu

— Chris Rhodes (@cglennrhodes) December 29, 2015

Cool sky in T-town! @spann pic.twitter.com/SsGsx5IlVf

— Rebecca Duncan (@rebeccagduncan) December 29, 2015

COOL CLOUD! Hole punch cloud seen this morning from Zachary, Louisiana. Photo: Amber Naquin. #LAwx pic.twitter.com/jlGQzglAJr

— Mark Tarello (@mark_tarello) December 29, 2015

@spann pic.twitter.com/8jBHEbq2dZ

— Devan Flannery (@FlanneryDevan) December 29, 2015

#Holepunch #fallstreak showing its love for Birmingham. @spann @NWSBirmingham #bmxwx pic.twitter.com/PmTwdXDYd3

— Bryan Gervais ⛳ (@GervaisBryan) December 29, 2015

I'm not really sure but it looks like a hole punch cloud over #Atmore Al 12-29-15 @spann pic.twitter.com/45RgfD387g

— Ditto Gorme (@dittogorme) December 29, 2015

Satellite views

The clouds were so pervasive that satellite imagery over the South resembled swiss cheese. Some great views from Twitter, below:

Hole punch clouds seen via the Terra sattelite using MODIS True Color Imagery earlier this afternoon #alwx #mswx pic.twitter.com/U5t8mEy4JF

— Peter Mullinax (@wxmvpete) December 29, 2015

Visible satellite view of the hole punch clouds… pic.twitter.com/ORqyNuy2uV

— James Spann (@spann) December 29, 2015

Visible satellite starting to look a little like swiss cheese over LA and MS. Can you spot the hole punch clouds? pic.twitter.com/7KGxPuObbk

— NWS New Orleans (@NWSNewOrleans) December 29, 2015