'G' Force of Nature? Cloud formation off South America is letter perfect
The wind patterns cut through a layer of low marine clouds off the coast to make what appears to be a perfect capital 'G'!
GOES 16 satellite image taken Friday afternoon shows what appears to be a "G" cut out of a cloud layer.
(RAMMB / CIRA / NOAA)
You can pardon meteorologists looking at the satellite formations around South America Friday afternoon for uttering "Gee whiz!" after a rather strange formation was spotted off the coast of Chile.
The wind patterns cut through a layer of low marine clouds in the eastern Pacific Ocean to make what appears to be a perfect capital 'G'!
(RAMMB / CIRA / NOAA)
The cloud cutout began as a mass of marine clouds but rain into some drying offshore winds off the coast of Chile, burning off some of the marine layer.
The gaps in the clouds swirled around as the entire cloud bank drifted northeast, briefly forming the shape of a G.
The 'G' stated to fade Friday afternoon, though it seems like the clouds were all smiles:
GOES 16 satellite image taken Friday afternoon shows what appears to be a "G" and smiley face cut out of a cloud layer.
(RAMMB / CIRA / NOAA)
And maybe the smile was indicative of an approaching weekend. NOAA sure seemed to think so: