In an extraordinary scene that left onlookers baffled, a perfectly rectangular cloud appeared in the skies over Zibo, Shandong Province, China, on a sunny Tuesday, November 26. The cloudโs sharply defined edges and 2D-like appearance drew comparisons to a โmagic carpetโ as it floated above, defying expectations of what clouds should look like.
The intriguing formation caught the attention of students and staff at Zhangdian Middle School. Mr. Zhang, a teacher, and several students stared in wonder, snapping photos and videos as the enigmatic cloud lingered for nearly 20 minutes.
โIt was surreal, like something out of a movie,โ said one observer.
The Science Behind the Spectacle
While the cloudโs rectangular shape sparked widespread curiosity, experts have provided a rational explanation. According to the Zibo Meteorological Bureau, the peculiar formation was not a natural cloud but a contrailโa type of cloud formed by aircraft exhaust.
Contrails, or condensation trails, develop when hot, humid air from jet engines mixes with the colder, low-pressure air at high altitudes. This process causes water vapor to condense and freeze into ice crystals, creating linear cloud formations.
Meteorologist Hu Xiao clarified, โThis is simply an aircraft contrail. Unique atmospheric conditions that day likely preserved its rectangular shape longer than usual.โ
In this case, weather conditions over Zibo may have included calm winds and stable air layers, preventing the contrail from dissipating or spreading into a more typical diffuse cloud.
What are Contrails?
Contrails are a common sight in skies worldwide, often seen as thin, straight lines trailing behind airplanes. They can vary in appearance and duration depending on altitude, humidity, and wind patterns. Under certain conditions, contrails can expand and merge with other clouds, contributing to their often fleeting visibility.
However, the rectangular cloud over Zibo stands out due to its unusually well-defined edges and prolonged visibility, a testament to how atmospheric conditions can transform routine phenomena into extraordinary sights.
This rare spectacle may have been a product of science, but for those who witnessed it, it felt like a moment of magic floating in the sky.
