Download Weather, Water and Clouds notes PES

The Water Cycle
Water on earth moves in a
continuous cycle
The Water Cycle
VOCABULARY
 Evaporation
– Water vapor rising in the atmosphere
 Condensation
– The changing of water from a vapor to a liquid
 Precipitation
– Any form of water falling from the sky such as rain,
sleet, snow, and hail
The Sun
The sun’s energy is
necessary to power
the water cycle.
Evaporation
The sun warms the
water in the ocean,
causing it to change
from water (liquid) to
water vapor (gas).
Condensation
Once the warm gas
hits the cooler air it
changes back into a
liquid and forms a
cloud.
Tiny water droplets
bounce around in
the cloud. As they
hit each other, they
stick together and
become larger.
Precipitation
Once they become so
heavy, the cloud can
no longer hold them.
It begins to
precipitate.
Precipitation can be:
 Rain
 Snow
 Sleet
 Hail
These water droplets and
ice crystals form clouds or
fog.
Precipitation collects in:
 Rivers
 Lakes
 Oceans
Precipitation
Then what?
Right! It starts
all over again!
That is why it is
called a cycle.
Sun warms ocean water causing it to
EVAPORATE. Water vapor CONDENSES
to form clouds. Clouds become very heavy
before beginning to PRECIPITATE.
Precipitation collects in rivers, lakes, and
oceans. The sun warms ocean water…
Clouds
 Clouds are masses of small water droplets
or tiny ice crystals that float in the air
 The three main types are
– Cirrus
– Cumulus
– Stratus
CIRRUS CLOUDS
 Cirro-– Curled or wispy
 Form highest in the
sky
– Made up of ice crystals
 Usually signal the end
of clear weather
CUMULUS CLOUDS
 Cumulo—
– Means heaped
 Cottony clouds
– Flat gray bases, puffy,
white tops
 Usually signal good
weather, but can
produce showers and
thunderstorms
STRATUS CLOUDS
 Strato—
– Means layerlike
 Low-lying, dull colored
clouds
– Form in layers
 Usually bring drizzling
rain or light-falling
snow
CLOUD FORMATIONS
Cloud type
Cirrus
Cumulus
Stratus
Level
Description
High
Wispy, ice
crystals,
signal change
Middle
Puffy, white,
good weather
Low
Low layer of
gray, precipitation
View
STORMS
 Hurricane
– A low-pressure tropical storm that develops in the North
Atlantic and Eastern North Pacific
 Tornado
– One of the smallest, yet most violent, storm types
 Thunderstorm
– Disturbance caused by cold front, thunder and lightning
occur
HURRICANE
 Form over ocean near
the equator
 Winds spin counterclockwise
 Winds must be over 75
mph
 The strongest storms
on earth
TORNADO




Spiraling funnel cloud
Form along cold fronts
Very unpredictable
Winds can exceed 500
mph inside tornado
 Mostly occur in spring
THUNDERSTORM
 Caused by a cold front
 Strong winds and
heavy rain
 Usually bring thunder
and lightning
 Are usually over
quickly