Tellus, Series A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography

Certain specific cloud forms are frequently associated with strong winds aloft. Investigation has shown that these clouds are usually observed in regions of strong horizontal and vertical wind shear, and in most cases in or above regions where negative absolute vorticity (dynamic instability) and low Richardson's numbers coincide. The small-scale details in jet stream clouds may be the result of turbulent motion in layers brought to or near saturation by large-scale vertical motions in the atmosphere. This paper contains a detailed study of a typical case.