Up in the clouds …. How are clouds formed? Warm moist air rises because it is less dense. As it...

Up in the clouds …

How are clouds formed?

• Warm moist air rises because it is less dense.• As it rises it cools and becomes more dense so

it can’t hold as much water vapor.• Eventually the air reaches dew point when it is

completely full or saturated with water vapor. • At dew point, the water vapor condenses on

particles in the air into water droplets to form clouds.

Important Prefixes

• Alto = Middle

• Strato = Low

• Cirro = High

• Nimbus or Nimbo = Precipitation

Main Types of Clouds

Stratus Clouds •Form in flat layers•Strato means “spread out”•Usually cover all or most of the sky•Dull, gray color

As stratus clouds thicken, they may produce drizzle, rain, or snow. These clouds are nimbostratus clouds.

Main Types of Clouds

Cumulus Clouds •Looks like fluffy, rounded piles of cotton•Cumulus means “heap” or “mass”•Usually indicates good weather

Cumulonimbus clouds are towering clouds with flat tops. They bring thunderstorms.

Main Types of Clouds

Cirrus Clouds •Wispy, feathery clouds •Cirrus means “curl of hair”•Form at high levels •Made of ice crystals •Cirrocumulus clouds usually mean a storm is coming.

Stratus Cloud (Form in flat layers, uniform and gray)

Altostratus Cloud(middle level)

Nimbostratus Cloud (Thicker Layers)

Brings drizzle, rain, or snow.

Fog(Ground Level)

Cumulus Cloud(Fluffy, piles of cotton)

Nice weather

Altocumulus Cloud(Middle Level)

Cumulonimbus Cloud(Towering with flat tops)

Thunderstorms

Cirrus Cloud(High clouds)

Winds

Cirrocumulus Cloud (Rows of cotton)

Approaching storm