Have you ever marveled at the sight of a cloud resembling a hat or umbrella, gracefully perched over a mountain peak? A captivating video from the TikTok account @freshfinsdiving showcases Mount Agung, adorned with what appears to be two cloud hats.
Although it looks beautiful, the comment section is filled with sadness for the hikers who are climbing Mount Agung.
@freshfinsdiving Peaceful Amed with incredible views of Mount Agung. Join us 🫶 #freshfinsdiving #amedbali #scubadiving #mountagung #lenticularclouds ♬ Moments – Voice Memo – Teesa
“The one at the top again, I swear they will not climb the mountain again,” wrote one netizen.
Another netizen commented, “Cheer up for those at the top.”
Judging from the video upload date, this incident occurred last week, around October 9-10, 2024.
This phenomenon is called cap cloud, which is quite common in the mountains of Indonesia. In 2020, this phenomenon occurred in close proximity to seven mountains in Indonesia.
What causes the cloud-capped mountain phenomenon
As reported by Kumparan, according to the Juanda Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Prakirawan, Agatha Mayasari, in astronomy, this cap cloud is called a lenticular cloud.
Despite their enchanting appearance, the presence of lenticularis clouds on a mountain signals turbulence or intense vertical wind rotation, posing a significant risk to climbers and aviation.
Cap clouds materialize when the flow of air is disrupted by the presence of a mountain, triggering a vortex at the mountain’s peak. This disturbance in the air creates the mesmerizing spectacle of a cap cloud.
In general, lenticular clouds form in the morning or afternoon when the air tends to be dry.
Lenticular clouds generally form in the morning or evening when the air tends to be cooler. However, lenticular clouds can also occur during the day as long as the conditions for their formation are met.
Although they look beautiful, lenticular clouds are considered dangerous. The presence of these clouds on the top of the mountain indicates a storm-level wind gust. For aeroplanes, the wind vortex that forms lenticular clouds is dangerous because it is turbulent, causing the plane to shake until it quickly loses altitude.
This is dangerous for low-flying aircraft and also for climbers trapped on the mountain.
Cap cloud type
The type of cloud that is often seen as a cap on top of a mountain is generally a lenticular cloud.
Lenticular clouds are often formed around mountains with sharp peaks and are quite high. These clouds are often referred to as “flying clouds” because they look like flying saucers or disks floating in the air.
