Dear Tom,
What does Hoagy Carmichael’s song “Buttermilk Sky” refer to?
Virginia O’Neill, Ventura, Calif.
Dear Virginia,
The song that you refer to, “Old Buttermilk Sky,” was written by Hoagy Carmichael and Jack Brooks in 1946 for the movie “Canyon Passage” and was actually nominated for an Oscar. The phrase “buttermilk sky” refers to a sky that is peppered with patches of midlevel altocumulus clouds or high-level cirrocumulus clouds that tend to take on a globular appearance similar to the texture of cultured milk. These clouds are more commonly referred to as forming a “mackerel sky,” especially when the cloud elements line up in rows resembling the scales or spots of that fish. A mackerel sky is often an indication of the presence of high-level atmospheric moisture and instability and may portend thunderstorms.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
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