jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pA compressible, viscous and heat conducting fluid is confined between two parallel plates maintained at a constant temperature and subject to a strong stratification due to the gravitational force. We consider the asymptotic limit, where the Mach number and the Froude number are of the same order proportional to a small parameter. We show the limit problem can be identified with Majda’s model of layered “stack-of-pancake” flow.</jats:p>