# Not as random: the stable dynamics controlling shallow convective clouds

## TL;DR

This paper reveals that shallow oceanic clouds form within a stable, organized network of convective cells, challenging the belief that they are random and unconnected.

## Contribution

The study identifies a stable, organized convective cell structure underlying seemingly random shallow cloud formation.

## Key findings

- Shallow convective clouds form within a continuous, stable mesh of convective cells.
- The convective cell structure operates independently of visible cloud presence.
- This challenges the assumption of randomness in the formation of these clouds.

## Abstract

Shallow, sparse, non-precipitating convective clouds forming over the ocean are considered among the least organized cloud fields. The formation mechanism of these clouds is associated with random, local perturbations that create buoyant parcels. Their sparseness suggests no or very weak interactions between clouds. Here, we show that such clouds form within a well-organized, stable, dense mesh of convective cells that operate continuously, independent of the presence of visible clouds.