Download CLOUDS, CLOUDS, and more CLOUDS

CLOUDS, CLOUDS, and
more CLOUDS
6th Grade Science
All types of Clouds
How do clouds form?
 They form as warm air is forced upward,
expands, and cools.
 As the air cools, the
amount of water vapor
needed for saturation
decreases and the
relative humidity
increases.
Formation continued…
 Water vapor forms tiny droplets around
small particles such as dust and salt.
 These droplets of water are so small that
they remain suspended in the air.
 BILLIONS of these droplets form a cloud.
Classifying Clouds
 Clouds are identified by size and height.
 Some clouds are very high in the sky while
others are very low and flat.
 Dense clouds bring in rain and snow, while
others are thin and wispy and appear on
sunny days.
 The shape and height of these clouds vary
with temperature, pressure, and the amount
of water vapor in the atmosphere.
Types of clouds
 There are 3 main types of clouds:
– Stratus
– Cirrus
– Cumulus
Stratus
 Stratus:
– Form at low altitudes
– Associated with fair weather, RAIN, or SNOW
– When air is cooled to its dew point near the
ground it forms a stratus cloud called FOG.
Cumulus
 Masses of puffy, white clouds, often with flat
bases.
– They tower to great heights!
– Associated with fair weather or thunderstorms
– These are the type of clouds you make figures
out of.
Cirrus
 Appear fibrous or curly.
– They are high, thin, white, feathery clouds made
of ice crystals.
– Associated with fair, sunny weather, but they
can sometimes indicate approaching storms.
Cloud Families
 Clouds are grouped into families by height
and form.
– Low, Middle, and High clouds
 Prefixes help us also determine other types
of clouds.
– Cirro = high clouds
– Alto = middle level clouds
– Strato = low elevation
High Level Clouds
 Cirrocumulus: fluffy, high, cotton-type clouds
 Cirrostratus: thin sheets,
high whitish layers of clouds
Middle Level Clouds
 Altocumulus: Rounded layers
or patches of clouds, middle
of the sky
 Altostratus: Gray, streaked
layers of clouds, middle of the sky
 Nimbostratus: Mid-level, thick, gray
layers of clouds bring rain and snow
– (NIMBO = “rain”)
Low Level Clouds
 Stratocumulus: Layers of
cumulus clouds, low
 Cumulonimbus: Large, dark, billowing
clouds
GUESS the CLOUD!
Cirrus
Cirrocumulus
Cumulus
Cumulonimbus
Altostratus
Nimbostratus
Stratocumulus
Stratus
Altocumulus
Cirrostratus