2025-11-08 Merging Fallstreak Holes (02) (2048x1360)

            Cap Sante Marina, Fidalgo Bay.
A "hole punch cloud," also known as a fallstreak hole, is a large gap in a cloud layer, usually caused by the passage of an aircraft through a supercooled cloud. Aircraft trigger a chain reaction where the supercooled water droplets freeze into ice crystals and fall, leaving a clear hole in the cloud, often with wispy streaks of ice falling below it. These phenomena occur at mid to high altitudes, where clouds are composed of water droplets that are below freezing but still liquid. How hole punch clouds form Supercooled clouds: These clouds, typically altocumulus or cirrocumulus, contain water droplets that are below freezing but remain liquid.
Lack of nucleation: These supercooled droplets need a trigger to freeze into ice crystals, as there isn't enough dust or pollution particles to act as nucleation sites.
Aircraft as a catalyst: When a plane flies through the cloud, the air expands and cools around its wings and body. This provides the necessary trigger for the supercooled droplets to freeze.The domino effect: The initial ice crystals rapidly grow by absorbing surrounding water droplets. This process causes the droplets around them to freeze and then fall out of the cloud, leaving a large, circular hole behind.
Falling streaks: As the ice crystals fall from the cloud, they create a streak of feathery, wispy ice crystals below the hole, which may evaporate before reaching the ground. 
Characteristics of hole punch clouds Appearance: A large, usually circular or elliptical gap in a mid to high-level cloud.
Altitude: Occur in clouds at altitudes of 23,000 feet or higher, where temperatures are well below freezing.
Composition: The cloud layer itself is made of water droplets, while the falling streaks are ice crystals.-GOOGLE AI
   

Taken in: United States / Washington / Anacortes (show map)

Taken on: November 8, 2025

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Fidalgo Island

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Cap Sante Marina

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Camera: samsung SM-S908U1, f/1.8, 1/12000 sec, 6.4mm, ISO 64 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	samsung SM-S908U1
Aperture:	f/1.8
Exposure Time:	1/12000 sec
Focal Length:	6.4mm
ISO:	64
Exposure Bias:	+1.3 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Center-weighted average
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS6 (Windows)
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