Unusual 'hole-punch cloud' captured over north east Scotland

A rare hole-punch cloud was spotted over north east Scotland, with images captured near Fochabers, Auchleven, Turriff and Kingston. Also called a fallstreak hole, the formation appears as a circular gap in an otherwise uniform cloud layer.

It occurs when supercooled water droplets in mid to high-level clouds freeze after being disturbed, often by an aircraft, creating ice crystals that fall and leave a smooth-edged hole.

The phenomenon reveals blue sky surrounded by textured cloud, with the dark outlines of fields, trees and hills visible below.