Multiple Fallstreak Clouds? Chantilly, VA

I took this picture on January 5, 2012 at 3:03 p.m. I was wondering if anyone here could identify the hole in the cloud layer. I think it is a Fallstreak or hole punch cloud and I have heard they are can be caused by meteorites, so this is why I am interested.

EDIT: After looking at it closer, it looks like there are multiple.

reply to post by SubPop79


While it does resemble a punch hole, that doesn't necessarily have to be what it is you're seeing. Although it may be. I'd first ask if you live near an airport or similar facility. If you do, then it could be routine air traffic.

What you're seeing could also be the result of temperature differentials in the air. Often times the high cirrus clouds will have gaps and holes where there may be a temperature difference of some type. That may explain the holes, especially considering how there are other holes on the top right of the image as well.

The clouds here in SC looked similar to that today, and on the bottom you can see evaporating precipitation that looks like snow that disappears, similar to the ones in your picture. What leads me to believe that what you're seeing is in fact not punch hole or fall streak clouds is the fact that there doesn't appear to be a nucleus in the center of the hole. Typically a hole punch cloud has a nucleus in the center that's surrounded by a ring of clearing, and then the clouds tend to resume.

If there were a meteorite entering the atmosphere that was capable of causing a hole punch like that, I'd imagine that you would have seen the actual fireball or had reports of such an event. And, I'd imagine that it'd be a sizable object or moving at an extremely high rate of speed as it passed the clouds. Otherwise, a small rock most likely wouldn't cause such a massive disturbance.

reply to post by Mapkar



Well the angle isn't so good but there is a nucleus, it is just in front of another cloud and hard to see.

reply to post by SubPop79


Alright, that's something I was definitely having trouble picking out. That detail also helps to rule out the possibility that it's caused by temperature differences; not completely of course, but the chances are a lot lower.

Have there been any aircraft in the region that might cause this to happen? I'd definitely be wondering about that. I'm not ruling out meteorites, I'd just imagine that someone would have noticed something. Of course, apparently it's easy to miss where big things like interplanetary space probes land too, so a rock from space may very well have snuck in unnoticed...

The diagonal wisp that points to the right.

I'd like to take a look but the link does not work. Could you reupload?