Clouds and Clouds and Weather Weather

PredictionPrediction

In this activity you will:

• Learn about the types of clouds, how they are formed, and the weather each might predict.

• Illustrate four common cloud types.

Clouds are formed as part of the water cycle

What are clouds?What are clouds?How are they made? NOVA

• A cloud is made up of tiny water droplets and/or ice crystals, a snowflake is a collection of many ice crystals, and rain is just liquid water.

Cloud TypesCloud Types

• Names of specific types of clouds are created by combining the name of the cloud's shape

with its height.

Cloud TypesCloud Types

• The presence of clouds in the sky is one type of signal to meteorologists that there will be changes in the weather. Predicting the weather requires the understanding of the different types of clouds.

Cloud FormationCloud Formation• Clouds form when solar heating

of the earth’s surface warms the air near the ground. This air begins to rise and it expands and cools.

• Water vapor then condenses on small dust particles suspended in the air and these combine to form clouds.

Cloud FormationCloud FormationWhy are there so many different types of clouds?

• The type of cloud created is determined by how fast the air rises.

CloudsCloudsThere are 3 main types of clouds:• Cumulus or fluffy clouds form when

air is forced up rapidly and therefore rises higher.

Cumulus

CloudsClouds• Stratus clouds are layered clouds

that form when air that is forced up slowly.

Stratus

CloudsClouds• Cirrus clouds are thin

feathery clouds.

Cirrus

For Fun

• Top Ten Rare Cloud Types

There are three categories There are three categories of cloud of cloud heightsheights::

• High Clouds High Clouds = = CirrusCirrus • Middle Clouds = Alto • Low Clouds = Stratus

High CloudsHigh Clouds: : CirrusCirrus

• Cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals and are high and wispy. They can be divided into cirrostratus and cirrocumulus clouds.

High Clouds:High Clouds: CirrusCirrus• Cirrus generally occur in fair

weather and point in the direction of air movement at their elevation.

CirrusCirrus• Cirrus clouds are

usually the first sign of an approaching storm.

High Clouds = Cirrus

Types:

• Cirrus

• Cirrostratus• Cirrocumulus

Cirrus

Middle CloudsMiddle Clouds: : AltoAlto

•Altostratus•Altocumulus

Middle Clouds:Middle Clouds: AltocumulusAltocumulus

Altocumulus clouds usually form from the gradual lifting of air in advance of a cold front.

Middle Clouds:Middle Clouds: AltocumulusAltocumulusThe presence of altocumulus clouds on a warm and humid summer morning is commonly followed by thunderstorms later in the day.

An altostratus cloud usually forms ahead of storms with continuous rain or snow. Occasionally, rain will fall from an altostratus cloud.

Low Clouds: StratusLow Clouds: Stratus

•Stratus•Stratocumulus•Nimbostratus

Low Level Stratus CloudsLow Level Stratus Clouds

Low clouds are of mostly composed of water droplets. However, when temperatures are cold enough, these clouds may also contain ice particles and snow.

Low Clouds: StratusLow Clouds: Stratus

• Stratus clouds resemble fog, but they do not reach the ground. They often produce mist or drizzle.

Low Level Stratus CloudsLow Level Stratus Clouds

Low Level Stratus CloudsLow Level Stratus Clouds

Only light precipitation, generally in the form of drizzle, occurs with stratocumulus clouds. To distinguish between a stratocumulus and an altocumulus cloud, point your hand toward the cloud. If the cloud is about the size of your fist, then it is stratocumulus

Nimbostratus

• They are dark gray with a ragged base. Nimbostratus clouds are associated with continuous rain or snow. Sometimes they cover the whole sky and you can't see the edges of the cloud

Vertically Developed CloudsVertically Developed Clouds

• Fair weather cumulus have the appearance of floating cotton and have a lifetime of 5-40 minutes. The cloud tops designate the limit of the rising air.

Vertically Developed Clouds Vertically Developed Clouds

• Harmless fair weather cumulus can later develop into towering cumulonimbus clouds associated with powerful thunderstorms.

Nimbus CloudsNimbus Clouds

• Nimbus clouds are clouds that produce precipitation. Nimbo or nimbus might be used with cumulus or stratus to indicate a cloud formation that is producing rain.

Cumulonimbus and Cumulonimbus and NimbostratusNimbostratus

• A nimbostratus cloud is a stratus cloud with precipitation and a cumulonimbus cloud is a cumulus cloud with precipitation.

Cumulonimbus CloudsCumulonimbus Clouds

• Cumulonimbus clouds are the "thunderheads" that can be seen on a warm summer day and can bring strong winds, hail, and rain.

NimbostratusNimbostratus• Nimbostratus are dark,

low-level clouds accompanied by light to moderately falling precipitation.

NimbostratusNimbostratus

• Nimbostratus clouds will bring a long steady rain. However, when temperatures are cold enough, these clouds may also contain ice particles and snow.

NimbostratusNimbostratus

Stratocumulus CloudsStratocumulus Clouds• Stratocumulus clouds

generally appear as a low, lumpy layer of clouds that is sometimes accompanied by weak intensity precipitation.

StratocumulusStratocumulus

Weather PredictorsWeather Predictors

• Clouds, in many cases, foreshadow incoming weather and assist in forecasting.

Four Types of Clouds GO

• Given the blue paper and a small piece of white chalk, you are to draw each of the following types of clouds: cumulus, cirrus, stratus, and cumulonimbus

• Divide your paper into four equal parts along. Fold into fourths. Turn down the center corner of your page so that when you open up the page you have created a graphic organizer that now has a diamond in its center. Write Cloud Types in this center diamond. Label one corner cumulus, cirrus, stratus, and cumulonimbus. In the appropriate box illustrate each type of cloud using your piece of chalk.

Summarizer

• Using the descriptions given, write the name of the cloud type, a description of the cloud, and the kind of weather associated with each one. (wkst 98)