Strange Dark Cloud

[TheBigDog]

I was on a flight from Mexico City to Houston yesterday, when I saw something I have never seen before, and which I cannot explain. It was about 2:00 or so Central Time, and I was inland of the Gulf Coast a few kilometers, presumably over Texas although we may have still been over Mexico. The plane was going north and I had a seat at the starboard window. I did not hear the pilot announce our altitude, but in my other similar flights we typically flew at 34,000 feet (10363 m). It was a fairly clear day marked by thin, wispy clouds at various levels and clear blue sky between. I had a good view of the ground and the gulf through the scattered veil.

These are the conditions in which I was the strange thing. At first I thought it was a ground based thing, but the motion was wrong. It was moving with the clouds, not below them. It was below my level, and extended along the coast and out over the gulf. It must have been at least 50 miles long, maybe 100, and several miles wide, very odd shaped. As the plane began to descend toward its level I could see that it was a cloud. But it was very dark gray, almost black. It was no more than 100 feet thick, probably less, just a thin layer of dark cloud.

My first thought was that it was smoke, so I looked for a source, but there was no tell-tale column coming up and feeding it. It existed as though without a source. I thought it might have come from a plane, but it was enormous and very odd shaped, not what would come from the trail of one or more planes. And it was contained at a specific altitude, like you often see clouds, which is what leads me to conclude that it was atmospheric in nature.

I watched for 15 minutes or so, and talked to the gentleman next to me about it. The plane descended to its level as we watched which gave me a clear view of how thin it was, razor like in the sky, yet covering a huge area. All of it was equally colored, and gave no sign of reflecting sunlight like a cloud. It did not have bright highlights. I thought it might be a cloud in the shadow of another cloud, but it was bright blue sky above. Very strange indeed.

I have flown around 750,000 miles over the past ten years, and I have never seen anything like this. My only thought is that it was indeed smoke, but from a very distant source. That the smoke rose into the air, but did not dissipate. But that doesn't make much sense to me either. Has anyone ever seen or heard of thin black clouds before?

I wish that I'd had a camera with me, it would have been nice to document that way.

Bill

[Tormod]

UFO of course.

Or a lenticular cloud pushed north by Hurricane Dean perhaps?

Some ideas might be found here:
Cosmic Log : UFOs in the clouds

[Hill]

Originally Posted by TheBigDog

These are the conditions in which I was the strange thing. At first I thought it was a ground based thing, but the motion was wrong. It was moving with the clouds, not below them. It was below my level, and extended along the coast and out over the gulf. It must have been at least 50 miles long, maybe 100, and several miles wide, very odd shaped. As the plane began to descend toward its level I could see that it was a cloud. But it was very dark gray, almost black. It was no more than 100 feet thick, probably less, just a thin layer of dark cloud.



Bill

Could it have been something like this? Alaska1000MilePlume

[TheBigDog]

Originally Posted by Hill

Could it have been something like this? Alaska1000MilePlume

It could have very well been something like that. I have never heard of smoke traveling such a distance without dissipating. This cloud appeared quite consistent in quality, and was most resembled smoke, except for the fact that it was not feathering and dissipating at the edges, or leaving a thin trail in any direction that I could perceive. But looking at this site it could very well fall into the same category. I wonder if it might be visible on weather photos from yesterday? Where would they be found?

Bill

[Tormod]

Perhaps you can find something at NOAA Home Page ?

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by TheBigDog

...I have never heard of smoke traveling such a distance without dissipating. This cloud appeared quite consistent in quality, and was most resembled smoke, except for the fact that it was not feathering and dissipating at the edges, or leaving a thin trail in any direction that I could perceive. ...
Bill

A possible explanation is that the smoke was riding an atmospheric soliton wave. Just a thought.

[TheBigDog]

I am returning to Mexico by the same path this evening, and I even got a port side window. But I think that Dean has probably blown away the smoke by now. I am hoping for a good view of the storm out the window, even though my flight is going to be after dark.

Bill

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by TheBigDog

I am returning to Mexico by the same path this evening, and I even got a port side window. But I think that Dean has probably blown away the smoke by now. I am hoping for a good view of the storm out the window, even though my flight is going to be after dark.

Bill

Dont forget your ! Another thought addition to the soliton wave idea is that it is possible the jet stream played a role. Given your description and estimated altitude of 34,000 feet and an 'average' altitude of 30,000 feet for the jet stream, it is worth investigating. Perhaps look for a weather report from that day which shows the jet stream's location?

[orbsycli]

Texas is creepy. Who knows what kind of things are happening in that airspace...

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by orbsycli

Texas is creepy. Who knows what kind of things are happening in that airspace...

I do, but I'm sworn to secrecy.