1. Cirrus Clouds These clouds are wispy, and feathery. Cirrus clouds form at high levels and are made of ice crystals.

2. Cumulus Clouds Look like fluffy, rounded piles of cotton Cumulus clouds that are not very tall, usually indicate fair weather.

3. Cumulonimbus (a.k.a. Thunderheads) Member of the cumulus “family” These are towering clouds with flat tops Thunderstorms and tornadoes develop in thick cumulonimbus clouds

4. Stratus Clouds Form in flat layers Usually cover all, or most of the sky and are a uniform dull, gray color.

5. Thunderstorms A small storm (when compared to hurricanes and winter storms) often accompanied by heavy precipitation and frequent thunder and lightning. Form in large cumulonimbus clouds

6. Step 1: Warm, humid air rises rapidly Step 2: The warm, humid air comes into contact with cooler air, forming dense thunderclouds Step 3. Within the thundercloud there are strong upward and downward winds

7. Thunder The sound of thunder is produced as the air around the lightning bolt is super heated to 60,000 degrees F. The air rapidly expands, creating a shockwave, which is what we hear as thunder.

8. Tornadoes A rapidly whirling, funnel shaped cloud that reaches down from a storm cloud to touch Earth’s surface Most commonly develop in thick cumulonimbus clouds

9. Tornado Formation Step 1: Warm, moist air flows in at the bottom of a cumulonimbus cloud and moves upward. Step 2: Changing wind speeds and wind directions can cause the rising air to rotate vertically, like a funnel. Step 3: A tornado forms as part of the cloud descends to earth as a funnel.

10. Hurricanes Winds must be blowing at least 74 mph to be considered a hurricane In the western Pacific Ocean they are called typhoons They begin over warm ocean water

11. Hurricane Formation pt. 1 Step 1: Warm air rises at the ocean’s surface, leaving less air at the surface. This causes an area of low pressure. Step 2: The area of low pressure acts like a vacuum, drawing more warm air in. Step 3: This upward movement of warm air creates clouds that begin to spin.

12. Hurricane Formation pt. 2 Step 4: As more and more warm air enters the hurricane it gains strength and begins spinning faster and faster Step 5: It soon develops an area called the eye

14. Blizzard Formation Snowstorms derive their energy from the clash of two air masses of different temperatures and moisture levels. Snowstorms usually form when an air mass of cold, dry, Canadian air moves south and interacts with a warm, moist air mass moving north from the Gulf of Mexico. A blizzard is a long-lasting snowstorm with very strong winds and intense snowfall.