Clouds and Precipitation By: Justin Laubach
ADIABATIC HEATING AND COOLING
-Air temperatures changing with no change in energy
http://www.summitcds.org/chem1vt/webtext/energetics/CE05.html
Orographic Lifting
When places on the Earth, such as mountains, block the air flow, which leads up to the air rising
http://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.LiftingMechanisms
Frontal Wedging
Process when cold air blocks out cold air to let warm air rise
http://www.sleepingdogstudios.com/Network/Earth%20Science/ES_18.2_files/frame.htm#slide0014.htm
Convergence
When air is met by other air and is forced in an upward direction
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/dvlp/cnvrg.rxml
Localized Convective Lifting
Unequal heating of the Earth’s surfaceSome parts of the Earth are warmer than
others due to darkness of an objectSome parts of the Earth are cooler than
others due to light on an object
https://www.meted.ucar.edu/sign_in.php?go_back_to=http%253A%252F%252Fwww.meted.ucar.edu%252Fdot%252Fprint.htm
Stability
Air that doesn’t move; remains in its original spot
Unstable air often rises
http://ocw.usu.edu/Forest__Range__and_Wildlife_Sciences/Wildland_Fire_Management_and_Planning/Unit_7__Atmospheric_Stability_and_Instability_1.html
Condensation
Air must be saturated for any type of condensation such as dew, fog, or clouds
Condensation happens above the ground There are tiny particles on the surfaces
for water-vapor condensation
http://keep3.sjfc.edu/students/kes00898/e-port/condensation%20page%20for%20unit.html
Types of Clouds
Cirrus clouds are white and thin clouds. There also delicate and wispy
Cumulus clouds are rounded. They have a flat bass and appearance of rising domes or towers
Stratus clouds are mainly sheets or layers which cover most of the sky. There are no specific individual clouds
http://www.prwatch.org/spin/2011/08/10943/study-about-clouds-effect-global-warming-debunked
High Clouds
There are three types of high clouds which include cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus
Cirrocumulus clouds are fluffy Cirrostratus clouds are flat layers
http://scienceray.com/biology/weird-and-wonderful-of-nature-cloud-formations/
Middle Clouds
Altostratus clouds create a white to grayish sheet covering the sky with the sun or moon
There may be occasionally a light drizzle or light snow
http://eo.ucar.edu/kids/sky/clouds2.htm
Low Clouds
Stratus clouds are fog like layers of clouds that usually cover most of the sky
Stratocumulus clouds have a scalloped bottom that looks as long parallel rolls or broken round patches
Nimbostratus clouds are rainy clouds
http://www.wunderground.com/blog/Blizzard92/comment.html?entrynum=32&theprefset=BLOGCOMMENTS&theprefvalue=0
Clouds of Vertical Development
Clouds that don’t fit into the category of high clouds, middle clouds, or low clouds
http://www.free-online-private-pilot-ground-school.com/Aviation-Weather-Principles.html
Fog
The result of radiation cooling, or the movement of air over a cold surface
When water vapor is added to the air and is saturated, fog can occur
Fog is a cloud with its base at or very close to the ground
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marine_Fog_Pattern_1.jpg
Cold Cloud Precipitation
Water is super cooled when it is below -0 degrees celsius
When air is saturated it is supersaturated to ice
The Bergeron process relies on two physical processes which are super cooling and super saturation
http://atm.ucdavis.edu/mmg/atm60_2005/note/precipitation.htm
Warm Cloud Precipitation
Warm clouds form raindrops in the collision- coalescene process
Salt can lower water vapor temperatures from the air at relative humidities under 100 percent
http://www.rainmanweather.com/site/products/RG-206-Brush-RG202-Rain-and-Snow-Gauge
Rain and Snow Drops of water that fall from a cloud and
have a diameter of at least 0.5 mm. When the ground temperature is above
four degrees celsius, snowflakes will melt and turn into rain before reaching the ground
At low temperatures ice crystals will form
http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/42517
http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/mfms7Zq/
Sleet, Glaze, and Hail
Sleet is the falling of small particles of clear ice
Glaze is just known as freezing rain
Hail is made in the cumulonimbus cloudshttp://www.kaiserroof.com/hail/
http://community.acstechnologies.com/2011/01/through-rain-sleet-or-snow/
The End
Recommended