Some clouds look like someone punched a giant hole straight through them.

These strange formations are called hole-punch clouds, or fallstreak holes. They can form when supercooled water droplets suddenly freeze after being disturbed, often by an aircraft passing through the cloud. The resulting ice crystals grow and fall, leaving a large opening that can continue spreading outward.

In this episode, we explore the strange physics behind these holes, why they can appear so perfectly shaped, and what is actually happening inside the cloud.

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