How are Hole Punch clouds formed?

How are Hole Punch clouds formed? Images of the start of Hole Punch clouds and cloud circles formation.

Hole punch clouds or circular cloud holes are a weather puzzle but do these photographs show how they start forming? Or is this the start of a Crab Cloud being formed?

The patchy (patch work quilt type) of cloud which seems to be Altocumulus or cirrocumulus is associated with hole punch clouds. You will find in many photos that the hole punch cloud or circular cloud holes appears in them.

Hole punch clouds or circular cloud holes can be found in multiples and joined together. In the image on the left you can see a small segment or arc of cloud line, is this where another cloud hole is? The rest of it has not developed yet as not enough energy is being transferred to form the clouds that show the hole punch shape.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

The circular cloud hole or hole punch cloud being formed in these photographs were the only clouds that could been seen in the skies over Malta and the Grand Harbour. They were taken on The Strand near the Waterfront Hotel, Gzira, Malta.

As this does appear to be a circular hole in the sky is it the start of a hole punch cloud forming or a circular cloud hole? Also, what can form or start to create a these holes in the clouds and sky?

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