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“FLYING saucers” appeared to hover eerily over the US – leaving a confused fisherman fearing an alien invasion.
But experts examining video of the strange “UFO-shapes” soon revealed the truth – bizarrely linked to another type of aircraft.
A fisherman filmed the strangely mesmerising footage of “UFO-like clouds” that he spotted near Key West in Florida.
Resembling flying saucers hovering above the sea, the wispy layer of cloud was dotted with multiple perfectly-shaped circular, denser ones.
The fisherman sought help on social media, where he shared footage of the unusual sight and asked: “Has anyone seen clouds like these before? We were fishing off Key West.”
“I’ve seen enough alien invasion movies to know exactly what those are,” joked one person, while another responded: “UFOs, in stealth mode.”
It later transpired that they are fallstreak hole – also known as a “hole punch cloud.”
These are large circular or elliptical gaps that can appear in cirrocumulus (small, fleecy clouds) or patchy altocumulus clouds, according to the National Weather Service.
“High-to-mid level clouds, such as altocumulus, are often composed of tiny water droplets that are much colder than freezing, but have yet to freeze.
“These ‘supercooled’ water droplets need a ‘reason’ to freeze, which usually comes in the form of ice crystals.
“Planes passing through the cloud layer can bring these ice crystals.
“Once the ice crystals are introduced, the water droplet quickly freeze, grow and start to fall.
“A hole is left behind, which will start to expand outward as neighboring droplets start to freeze,” said the service.
They occur at altitudes of 2,000 to 49,000ft.
“SPACE SHIP”
Matt Devitt, chief meteorologist at WINK News in Florida, shared photos of the clouds on Facebook.
“How cool is this? Not a UFO but a Florida hole-punch cloud spotted this week in Everglades city!
“Created by a plane flying through super-cooled water droplets in the cloud layer, which then turns them into ice cystals because of the interaction.
“Once the ice crystals become heavier, they fall, leaving an open gap,” he said.
“If I saw that I would truly freak out!” one woman replied, while another said: “Definitely a space ship.”
Several admitted they had initially assumed it was a “flying saucer or a UFO.”
“Looks like Independence Day,” joked one woman.
