Home / Shasta Cascade /What’s the Deal with Those UFO-Like Clouds Over Mount Shasta? What’s the Deal with Those UFO-Like Clouds Over Mount Shasta? Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit If you live anywhere near Mount Shasta, you know the drill. Every few weeks the volcano throws on a dramatic “hat” of smooth, layered clouds that look suspiciously like UFOs. And every year, someone wonders if Shasta might be waking up. The truth is far less alarming and far more fascinating. These formations are lenticular clouds, and they form when moist air is pushed up the mountain’s slopes, cools, and condenses. As the air flows over the peak, it drops slightly on the leeward side, creating a standing wave in the atmosphere. Clouds appear right at the crest of that wave, staying in place even though the air is moving through them. Sometimes they stack into multiple layers, creating the spectacular spaceship-like shapes Shasta is famous for. Because volcanoes release water vapor when active, unusual clouds can grab people’s attention. But cloud formations alone are not a sign of volcanic unrest. Scientists look for multiple indicators, including an uptick in earthquakes and changes in the shape of the volcano. Those would signal magma rising through the mountain. Mount Shasta, however, is quiet. It produces very few earthquakes and has only a small gas vent near its summit. That means the dramatic formations hovering above it are almost always atmospheric, not volcanic. So when Shasta puts on its cloud “hat,” enjoy the show. It is nature’s version of a magic trick, not a warning sign. Source: https://www.activenorcal.com/whats-the-deal-with-those-ufo-like-clouds-over-mount-shasta/