Clouds and Precipitation

Cloud Naming

• Prefix indicates height– Cirro high, 5-13 km– Alto middle, 2-5 km– (none) low, 0-2 km

• Name for appearance– Cirrus wispy strands– Stratus layered,

uniform– Cumulus puffy with

vertical structure

Nimbo/nimbus indicates significant precipitation potentialAdditional adjectives are used (table 7.3, p. 189)

Cirrus

Cirrostratus

Cirrocumulus

Altostratus

Altocumulus

Stratus

Stratocumulus

Cumulus

Cumulus Congestus

Cumulonimbus

Precipitation - Terminal velocity

• Depends on several factors dAC

mgv

dT

2

Precipitation - FormationWarm Cloud

Collision-CoalescenceCold Cloud

Bergeron-Findeisen Process

Precipitation - Types

• Drizzle, rain, snow, hail, sleet, snow pellets, snow grains, freezing rain

Cirrostratus

Cirrus

Altostratus

Altocumulus

Stratus

Nimbostratus

Stratocumulus

Stratocumulus

Cumulus Congestus

Cumulus & Cirrostratus

Cirrus & Cirrostratus

Cumulus & Cirrostratus

Cumulonimbus, Cirrus, & Cumulus

Cumulonimbus & Altocumulus

Cumulus & Cirrus