Did you look up from your device on the way to work yesterday morning? If you did, you might have seen something rather beautiful and unusual in the sky.
A rare meteorological phenomenon known as “hole punch clouds” or “fallstreak holes” appeared over southwestern parts of the territory between 7am and 9am on Monday.
The spectacle was observed and snapped in Lamma Island, Diamond Hill, Tuen Mun, Chai Wan and Sai Kung, with some residents saying they saw two punch holes, which appeared like a pair of eyes staring down on Hong Kong.
If you’re interested, which of course you are, punch hole clouds are formed when altocumulus clouds (they’re the flat wavy ones) mass at temperatures below zero degrees Celsius after being disturbed by an air current or a passing plane. Some of the water droplets become ice crystals, which fall away leaving a big gaping gap.
The result is pretty cool, we’re sure you’ll agree.
Hole punch clouds are NOT to be confused with a hole in the ozone layer, which isn’t cool at all.
