Tourists chase ‘glory’
ADRENALINE junkie tourists are preparing for their annual migration to the Far North as a spectacular meteorological phenomenon arrives early this year.
Morning glory clouds, also known as roll clouds or arcus clouds, have appeared over the Gulf of Carpentaria prematurely compared to their typical mid-September emergence.
Appearing as a low-level and slow-moving cloud wave of up to a kilometre in length, the phenomenon attracts an influx of visitors to Burketown each year – including a large contingent of glider and ultralight pilots who fly up to the mass and accompany it on its journey across the sky.
Savannah Aviation and Lodge owner Amanda Wilkinson said the surge in tourists to the town did not traditionally happen until mid-September.
“We’ve already had a couple where we could visibly see them but they didn’t quite make it right over the top of town,” she said. That is not an issue for the glider pilots, who can travel wherever they need to meet the cloud.
“It can be a bit strange when they turn the engine off and you’re just hanging there, but it’s very peaceful,” Ms Wilkinson said. “It’s quite amazing.”
The Gulf of Carpentaria is the only place in the world where the phenomenon can be predicted and observed on a regular basis.
Weather bureau forecaster Harry Clark explained the variables that led to the tubelike cloud’s formation.
“The Cape York Peninsula gets sea breezes from both the west and east coast, and eventually they meet in the middle of the peninsula,” he said. “When they collide, it creates waves that have to go somewhere. That wave then gets pushed by the southeast trade winds to the west and will eventually move over the Gulf.”
Mr Clark said there needed to be enough moisture in the air to form a cloud but not enough for showers and storms to spoil the show.
“If not, you might have the wave but not enough moisture to form a cloud on it,” he said.