Contrails Mark Clear Skies Over Ireland as High Pressure Settles In
Satellite imagery of Ireland’s skies showed distinctive contrails streaming off the country’s west coast on Sunday afternoon.
The Copernicus Sentinel-2A satellite provided the first clear images of the island in weeks, revealing the effects of a high-pressure system that has brought dry, settled weather.
Contrails, short for condensation trails, are formed when water vapour from aircraft engines condenses and freezes in the cold upper atmosphere, creating visible streaks of ice crystals.
Depending on atmospheric conditions, they can dissipate quickly or persist for hours, sometimes spreading into thin cirrus clouds.
