This photo was taken in Broomfield, Colorado using a Canon EOS R50 with the RF 50mm f/1.8 lens, mounted on a tripod and aimed almost straight up. Camera settings were 1/2000 second, f/5.6, and ISO 100 to preserve highlight detail and maintain contrast in the mid-level cloud texture. The framing leaves out the horizon so the focus stays entirely on the structure of the cloud layer. The goal was to isolate form, showing patchy regions of lift, soft shading, and blue sky between cells.

To analyze the atmosphere, I used the University of Wyoming’s Grand Junction sounding from 00Z on September 30, 2025. The temperature and dewpoint lines converge between 700 and 600 millibars, showing a saturated mid-level layer, typical of altocumulus formation. The lifted condensation level pressure (LCLP) was around 650 millibars, placing the cloud base at roughly 3 to 4 kilometers above ground. CAPE was only 18 joules per kilogram, indicating almost no buoyant energy, ideal for forming a flat altocumulus layer after earlier rain, with no further storm development. The environmental conditions were relatively stable because low CAPE meant there was little energy to fuel upward motion.