Lenticular Cloud Over Mount Rainier
Chinook Pass, Washington State
We usually see lenticular clouds (those smooth, rounded clouds that form over high mountain peaks) over Mt. Rainier from the west side, simply because that where people live and work. On a recent trip to Puget Sound, I traveled from Enumclaw eastward on Highway 410 heading for Chinook Pass and eventually eastern Washington. As I was heading up 410, I could see a lenticular cloud forming over the mountain. Clouds generally move from west to east in this part of the country, and gradually the cloud began to slip over the top of the mountain towards me. As I neared Chinook Pass, I stopped to photograph this unusual sight: a lenticular cloud viewed from the east side of the mountain. Governors Ridge, that sharp series of peaks in the foreground, rose up between me and the mountain, and the top of Rainier was completely covered by the lenticular cloud. I like this photograph not only for the lenticular cloud east of the summit, but also for the contrast between the smoothness of the cloud and the dark, sharp form of Governors Ridge. Photo © copyright by Stephen Penland.