Definition

Noun: - A sky that is covered with a pattern of small, white, fleecy clouds arranged in rows or bands, resembling the pattern on a mackerel's back. This pattern is typically formed by cirrocumulus or altocumulus clouds.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a specific meteorological phenomenon and appearance of the sky.
• It is often mentioned in weather lore, as such a sky can sometimes indicate a change in weather.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The sailors looked up at the mackerel sky and predicted rain within a day.
  • A beautiful mackerel sky stretched across the horizon at sunset.

Advanced Usage

• "Mackerel sky, mackerel sky, never long wet, never long dry": This is a traditional weather proverb. It suggests that a mackerel sky can indicate unsettled weather, with periods of rain and sunshine alternating, but that no single condition (wet or dry) will last very long.
  • When she saw the rows of small clouds, she remembered the old saying, "Mackerel sky, mackerel sky, never long wet, never long dry."

Variants and Related Words

• Cirrocumulus (n): A type of high-altitude cloud appearing as small, white, rounded patches or ripples. It is one of the cloud types that can create a mackerel sky.
• Altocumulus (n): A type of mid-altitude cloud that appears as white or gray patches or layers. Smaller altocumulus clouds can also contribute to the mackerel sky pattern.

Synonyms

• Cirrocumulus sky: A more technical term for a sky filled with cirrocumulus clouds, which is one specific type of mackerel sky.
• Buttermilk sky: A poetic or colloquial synonym, comparing the spotted cloud pattern to clumps in buttermilk.

Related Phrases

• Mackerel scales: An alternative, less common phrase referring to the same cloud pattern, drawing the same comparison to the scales of the fish.

Noun

1. a sky filled with rows of cirrocumulus or small altocumulus clouds