1. Clouds
Earth Science
Grade 8

2. Weather The current state of the atmosphere
Can change from minute to minute
National Weather is updated every three hours

3. Climate
Average weather over 30 years

4. Cloud Formation Moist air is cooled to its dew point
Moisture condenses around dust particles
Millions of particles form together to make one big cloud

5. Water Cycle or Cloud Formation

6. Based on their Shape and Height
Cloud Types
Based on their Shape and Height

7. Shape
Puffy: cumulus
Layered: Stratus

8. Height
Low Clouds: no prefix
Middle Clouds: alto-
High Clouds: cirro-

9. To name a cloud….you put the height and the shape together
Low, puffy clouds: cumulus
Low, layered clouds: stratus
Middle, layered clouds:
Middle, puffy clouds:
High, layered:
High, puffy clouds:

10. Low Clouds: Stratus Clouds

11. Low Cloud: Cumulus clouds

12. Low cloud: Stratocumulus (layered and puffy)

13. To name a cloud….you put the height and the shape together
Low, puffy clouds: cumulus
Low, layered clouds: stratus
Middle, layered clouds: altostratus
Middle, puffy clouds: altocumulus
High, layered:
High, puffy clouds:

14. Middle Clouds: Altostratus

15. Middle Clouds: Altocumulus

16. To name a cloud….you put the height and the shape together
Low, puffy clouds: cumulus
Low, layered clouds: stratus
Middle, layered clouds: altostratus
Middle, puffy clouds: altocumulus
High, layered: cirrostratus
High, puffy clouds: cirrocumulus

17. High Clouds: Cirrostratus

18. High Cloud: Cirrocumulus

19. High Cloud: Cirrus (special case)

20. Rain Clouds (nimbo- or –nimbus)
Rainy puffy clouds: cumulonimbus
Rainy layered clouds: nimbostratus
nimbostratus
cumulonimbus

21. Precipitation
Rain
Snow
Sleet
Hail

22. Rain: Precipitation that comes down when the temps are above 32o F

23. Snow: Precipitation that comes down when the temps are below 32o F

24. Sleet: Starts as snow, melts , then refreezes on the way down

25. Hail: forms only during severe thunderstorms