Explanation Strange contrail like structures over English Bay, Vancouver 8:30 PM Aug 5

[Charles Herbst]

Anyone know what these symmetrical,parallel lines are and what causes them?

 

[Mick West]

https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.go...70766375,-121.7588658757238,49.84257969985125

Looks like at some point there were some clouds blown into parallels lines.

 

[Charles Herbst]

https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov/?p=geographic&l=VIIRS_SNPP_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor(hidden),MODIS_Aqua_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor(hidden),MODIS_Terra_CorrectedReflectance_TrueColor,Reference_Labels(hidden),Reference_Features(hidden),Coastlines&t=2018-08-05-T00:00:00Z&z=3&v=-123.8682408757238,48.63078770766375,-121.7588658757238,49.84257969985125
View attachment 34097

Looks like at some point there were some clouds blown into parallels lines.

Thank you Mick. Pretty symmetrical

 

[Mick West]

You don't really get the detail in the satellite photo, and your's was taken quite a bit later, however we do see the parallel clouds running SW to NE, and it looks like you are looking NW in the pic with the sunset, so the general condition seem to match.

Pretty symmetrical

But not perfectly, nor are they perfectly parallel. Still a cool and unusual shot though. The ragged "edge" on the right is interesting:

One possibility is that it might have developed from a thick contrail. The contrail (maybe) formed and grew above a shear layer (different wind speed), and then as it sunk it spread out.