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CLOUDS * Form of condensation * Visible chunks of small water droplets or ice crystals * Good indicators of what’s going on in the atmosphere Conditions necessary for clouds to form 1. Condensation Nuclei – small, solid particle in the atmosphere that provide a surface that water vapor can condense on. (smoke, dust, ice) 2. Saturated air at its dew point Convective Cooling (Adiabatic Cooling) • Air rises and expands. • This cools the air below the dew point and it condenses. Forceful Lifting • Air is forced upward when it hits a slope. • It rises, expands, cools and condenses into a cloud. Temperature Change • Two air masses mix and cool below the dew point and condense. Classified by form and altitude Root names: • Cirrus: feathery/fibrous • Stratus: layered • Cumulus: piled up • Alto: middle • Nimbus: rain Stratus • Flat base • Very low • Cover large areas • May block sun • Very little precipitation Nimbostratus • Large, thick, grey patches • Block out sun • Continuous rain or snow • Storm clouds Altostratus • Thin, gray fibers • Sun shines through • Rain or snow of long duration. Cumulus • Fluffy cotton balls • White tops & dark bases. • Fair weather Altocumulus • Flat bottomed gray/white • Begin at middle altitude • Possible rain & storms Stratocumulus • Low, lumpy layer • Forms as rolls or waves Cumulonimbus • Anvil shape at top • Dark base • T-storms & heavy rain/possible hail. Summer clouds. Cirrus • Delicate • Wispy, feathery • Tiny ice crystals • Fair weather clouds. Cirrocumulus • thin, white rippled layers • tiny ice crystals • mackerel sky • fair weather • thicken if storm’s coming... Cirrostratus • tiny ice crystals • shapeless white veil “milky,” • do not block sun • rain within 24 hrs CONTRAILS KELVIN-HELMHOLTZ: caused by winds being deflected up over a barrier (such as a mountain), causing a wave-like cloud structure LENTICULAR: form downwind of an obstacle in the path of a strong air current. MAMMATUS: sinking air within a cloud Radiation Fog Ground cools off at night Air touching ground becomes cooled to the dew point and condenses “Burned away by sun as it warms up Advection Fog • Warm, moist air moves over a cool surface and forms a thick fog • Common along coasts Upslope Fog • Humid air rises up an incline cools off and condenses into fog. Steam Fog • Shallow layer of fog • Forms when cool air moves over inland warm body of water
