Download CLOUDS

CLOUDS
CLOUDS
 Form from the
condensation of water
vapor on tiny particles in
the air.
 Classified by their basic
shape and associated
weather conditions and
patterns.
 Fog is a cloud that forms
at or near ground level.
CUMULUS (means heap)
 Form at medium or
low elevation
(height).
 White,puffy with flat
bottoms.
 Usually signal fair
weather.
 When they are
darker, they may
signal rain or
thunderstorms
CIRRUS (curl of hair)
 Clouds that form at
high elevations.
 Wispy usually
consisting of ice
crystals.
 Signals fair weather,
sometimes signals
an approaching
warm front.
STRATUS (layer)
 Medium or low
elevation.
 Spread out layer
upon layer covering
a large area.
 As they thicken,
precipitation usually
occurs over that
area.
Cloud Combinations
 A basic shape + a
prefix or suffix
 Ex: Nimbostratus
 “Nimbus” means
rain. A nimbostratus
cloud would be a
layered rain cloud.
Combinations
 Cumulonimbus(thunderhead) A
heaped rain cloud.
They appear as part
of thunderstorms
that may
accompany a cold
front.
Prefix
 “Alto” indicates medium level clouds
formed at 2-6 km into the atmosphere.
 altocumulus
altostratus.