On an uncommonly clear day, the hillside Vik i Myrdal Church, serving the Icelandic seaside village of Vik, can be seen for many miles. Here a laminar, lenticular wave cloud, formed by flow over interior mountains, acts as a backdrop in the deeply azure sky of the subpolar North Atlantic. Well-known for its scenic setting and historic significance, the church serves as the gathering place for two purposes: worship, of course, and refuge in the event that a subglacial eruption of the volcano Katla unleashes a catastrophic meltwater flood (jökulhlaup). Townsfolk wisely and regularly drill evacuations uphill to this landmark.
Vik, Iceland (16 Aug 14) Looking NE
63.4203, -19.0034Lenticular Day at an Icelandic Church
On an uncommonly clear day, the hillside Vik i Myrdal Church, serving the Icelandic seaside village of Vik, can be seen for many miles. Here a laminar, lenticular wave cloud, formed by flow over interior mountains, acts as a backdrop in the deeply azure sky of the subpolar North Atlantic. Well-known for its scenic setting and historic significance, the church serves as the gathering place for two purposes: worship, of course, and refuge in the event that a subglacial eruption of the volcano Katla unleashes a catastrophic meltwater flood (jökulhlaup). Townsfolk wisely and regularly drill evacuations uphill to this landmark.
Vik, Iceland (16 Aug 14) Looking NE
63.4203, -19.0034