Morning Glory – a rare meteorological event most Australians don’t know exists.

What is the Morning Glory?

The Morning Glory is the most incredible thing you can see in the sky. And it happens right here in the Gulf of Carpentaria. 

A rare meteorological event, it occurs at dawn between September and November when the conditions are right.

A spectacular sight in the sky.

The Morning Glory is an unexplainable cloud formation that moves across the sky at speeds of up to 40km per hour in a north-easterly direction.

It looks like a massive spinning roll of cotton wool that stretches from one horizon to the other.   

Also known as kangólgi.

The local Garawa Aboriginal people refer to the cloud formation as kangólgi. 

They believe the presence of the Morning Glory is a sign of a flourishing bird population in the area.

What causes this incredible phenomenon?

The Morning Glory is believed to occur when a humid easterly front from the Coral Sea and a warm westerly front from the Gulf collide.

However, despite significant advances in meteorology and technology, the Morning Glory remains a natural event that defies understanding or explanation. 

Best place to view

The best spot to observe the Morning Glory is from a remote, isolated outback town and coastal locality in the Shire of Burke called Burketown. Approximately 142km southwest of Karumba. 

Or you can take a ride in a glider plane and surf the clouds from the sky.

Only in the Gulf

While similar phenomena appear in other parts of the world like Germany, Eastern Russia, Brazil, and Canada, the Morning Glory cloud is seen only in Northern Australia.

Photo Credit: dropbears