Clouds and Precipitation Weather

How Do Clouds Form? Clouds are made up of tiny water droplets or ice crystals. The air is filled with water vapor. When the air is cooled, the water vapor condenses. That is, the water molecules clump together around dust and other particles in the air. They form droplets of water.

Clouds Clouds look different depending on what they are made of. Water-droplet clouds tend to have sharp, well-defined edges. If the cloud is thick, it may look gray or black. That’s because sunlight is unable to pass through. Ice-crystal clouds tend to have fuzzy, less distinct edges. Water-Droplet CloudsIce-Crystal Clouds

All clouds form in the troposphere. The main types of clouds are: - Cumulus (meaning "heap" or "pile"): puffy clouds that appear to rise up from a flat bottom. - Stratus (meaning "layer"): short and spread across great distances; they form in blanketlike layers. - Cirrus (meaning "curl of hair"): wispy and thin; form at very high altitudes out of ice crystals and have wispy, featerlike shape. - Nimbus (meaning "rain" or "rainy cloud"): likely to bring precipitation (like rain or snow).

Cumulus Clouds Puffy Clouds

Stratus Clouds Blanketlike Layers

Cirrus Clouds Wispy and Featerlike Shapes

Nimbus Clouds “rain” or "rainy cloud”

Cloud Grouping Clouds are grouped into families by height and form. There are low clouds, middle clouds, high clouds, and clouds that develop upward—clouds of vertical development. Cumulonimbus clouds develop upward. These clouds bring thunderstorms. They can start as low clouds and reach up to the highest clouds.

Cloud Classification By Elevation 1 Clouds are further grouped into families by height and form. There are low clouds, middle clouds, high clouds, and clouds that develop upward—clouds of vertical development.

Cloud Classification By Elevation 2

Fog A cloud at ground level is called fog.

Precipitation Precipitation is any form of water particles that falls from the atmosphere and reaches the ground. Precipitation can be liquid (rain) or solid (such as snow). Precipitation occurs when cloud droplets or ice crystals join together and become heavy enough to fall. They clump around particles of dust in the air.

Cloud Type and Precipitation Tall clouds = Large Raindrops Large Cumulus Clouds = Heavy rain or snow showers that don’t last too long. Stratus Clouds = long lasting precipitation with smaller drops of rain or snowflakes. Clouds with great vertical development = a lot of water. These clouds are usually turbulent, or violet, they usually produce downpours, and they sometimes produce hail.