that form at high altitudes, normally aligned at right-angles to the wind direction.







These clouds are formed by so-called "mountain waves" of air created by strong winds forced over high mountains.

Then they hang over the mountains like alien "motherships"...

Mount Rainier in Washington produces some of the most spectacular lenticulars.















They have been mistaken for UFOs (or "visual cover" for UFOs) because these clouds

have a characteristic lens appearance and smooth saucer-like shape.





Wave Clouds
Wave clouds are formed when there are two parallel layers of air that are usually moving

at different speeds and in opposite directions. The upper layer of air usually moves

faster than the lower layer because there is less friction.

Below is the famous photo of such special clouds overMount Shasta , titled "Catch the wave"





The Witch's Brew of Bizarre Clouds
In the following photos (which are probably the weirdest of all weather phenomena pics),

taken from the top of local TV broadcasting tower (source:KSNTV) both the lenticular and mammatus