Rare ‘Lenticular Cloud’ Stuns Skies Over Quetta

News Desk 

Quetta: Residents of Quetta were treated to a rare and mesmerizing sight early Tuesday morning when an unusual ‘lenticular cloud’ formation appeared over the city’s eastern range, Koh-e-Murdaar. The skies briefly glowed in hues reminiscent of a rainbow before the phenomenon faded just before sunrise.

According to a statement by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), the rare lenticular cloud appeared in the early hours of October 28 and persisted for around 20 minutes. The department described it as a natural occurrence that took shape ahead of sunrise and dissipated shortly thereafter.

“The lenticular cloud formation was observed in the early morning of Oct 28, 2025, over Koh-e-Murdaar in the eastern range of Quetta city. The cloud appeared ahead of sunrise, persisted for approximately 20 minutes, and dissipated just prior to sunrise,” the PMD said on X (formerly Twitter).

Images and videos of the cloud quickly went viral on social media, with many users speculating about its origins and linking it to aerial activity. However, meteorologists clarified that the formation was entirely natural.

Explaining the phenomenon, PMD spokesperson Anjum Nazir Zaighum told Geo News that such clouds form when stable and humid air flows over a mountain or hill, creating wave patterns in the atmosphere. “When stable and humid winds pass through the clouds, it produces waves in the skies,” he said.

He added that lenticular clouds typically appear over hilly or mountainous areas and often resemble flying saucers or layered discs. “Such formations usually develop at the foggy tops of hills and vanish within moments in the form of vapours,” Zaighum noted.

The lenticular cloud, often mistaken for a contrail or even a UFO sighting, is among the rarest and most visually striking meteorological formations—turning Quetta’s early morning sky into a breathtaking spectacle for a brief but unforgettable moment. Additional input from Geo News webiste.