Key Takeaway
Mackerel skies and mare’s tails signal arrival of warm fronts that push moisture to high altitudes and creates distinctive clouds“Mare’s tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships to carry low sails,” runs an old English saying about summer skies. Mackerel skies are cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds in regular but patchy rows, resembling the light and dark-scale pattern on a mackerel.
Published July 17, 2026 · Category: News
Overview
Mackerel skies and mare’s tails signal arrival of warm fronts that push moisture to high altitudes and creates distinctive clouds
“Mare’s tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships to carry low sails,” runs an old English saying about summer skies.
Details
Mackerel skies are cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds in regular but patchy rows, resembling the light and dark-scale pattern on a mackerel. The cirrocumulus version is white and wispy, altocumulus is grey and thicker. One easy rule is that cirrocumulus is narrower than a finger at arm’s length, altocumulus more like three fingers.
Continue reading...
Source
Originally published at www.theguardian.com.
Related Articles
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Weatherwatch: How English summer clouds can warn of trouble ahead" about?+
Mackerel skies and mare’s tails signal arrival of warm fronts that push moisture to high altitudes and creates distinctive clouds“Mare’s tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships to carry low sails,” runs an old English saying about summer skies.Mackerel skies are cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds in regular but patchy rows, resembling the light and dark-scale pattern on a mackerel. The cirrocumulus version is white and wispy, altocumulus is grey and thicker. One easy rule is that cirrocumulus
Who reported this story?+
This story was reported by The Guardian World.