The Hong Kong Observatory revealed that cloud formations that resembled flying saucers or UFOs, were spotted over Hong Kong on July 27.
The city’s meteorological department shared a series of images on its Facebook page that were submitted by a Hongkonger, who caught sight of the clouds over Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui.
The images show a scattering of these clouds — known as lenticular clouds as they are lens-shaped — that were spotted over Hong Kong Island making their way over the harbour.
This type of cloud typically forms when stable, moist air condenses into water droplets due to upwards airflow. Although these clouds are not uncommon in themselves, it is unusual to spot them in Hong Kong in the summer.
In December 2020, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology shared images of a lenticular cloud formation seen over its campus. The UFO-like clouds formed over the hills near the university.
While lenticular clouds usually occur in mountainous regions, they are occasionally seen in places with low-lying or flat terrain. Their saucer-like shape leads some people to mistake them for UFOs.
In June, an eagle-eyed Hongkonger captured a rare breaking waves cloud formation over Victoria Harbour called fluctus clouds. These clouds generally remain in their wave-like form for a minute or two, which makes them hard to spot.
Header image credits: Hong Kong Observatory via Facebook
