Clouds and Precipitation

By: Cullen Williamson

Adiabatic Temperature Changes and Expansion and Coolinghttp://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0070-adiabatic-temperature-

changes.php

• It is when temperatures change even though no heat is added or taken away

• When air expands it cools and when it gets compressed it

Orographic Liftinghttp://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0070-

adiabatic-temperature-changes.php

• When mountains block air flow and the air goes up the mountain slope and adiabatic cooling makes clouds and precipitation

Frontal Wedginghttp://www.geo.hunter.cuny.edu/~tbw/wc.notes/4.moistur

e.atm.stability/frontal_wedging.htm

• When colder and denser air makes warmer and less denser air rise

Convergencehttp://santasusana.org/pakelly/ES9CP/

ES9%20clouds.htm

• Whenever air in the lower atmosphere goes together and results in lifting

Localized Convective Liftinghttp://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect14/Sect14_1c.html

• Unequal heating of the Earth causes air pockets to be warmed more than the air surrounding it. The pockets are called thermals and the process that produces them is called localized convective lifting

Stabilityhttp://ocw.usu.edu/Forest__Range__and_Wildlife_Sciences/

Wildland_Fire_Management_and_Planning/Unit_7__Atmospheric_Stability_and_Instability_1.html

• Stable air remains in the same spot it is in and unstable air rises

Condensationhttp://keep3.sjfc.edu/students/kes00898/e-

port/condensation%20page%20for%20unit.html

• For condensation to happen, the air has to be saturated first

Types of Cloudshttp://www.media.pearson.com.au/schools/cw/a

u_sch_stacey_ksg_3/em/ch9.html

• Clouds are named on what they look like and how big they are

• Cirrus, cumulus, stratus

High Cloudshttp://www.media.pearson.com.au/schools/cw/au_sch_stacey_ksg_3/em/ch9.html

• Cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus

• They are thin and white and often made of ice crystals

Middle Cloudshttp://www.media.pearson.com.au/scho

ols/cw/au_sch_stacey_ksg_3/em/ch9.html

• Have “alto” in front of the name

• Infrequent light snow or drizzle might be with them

Low Clouds http://www.media.pearson.com.au/schools/cw/au_sch_stacey_ksg_3/em/

ch9.html• Stratus,

stratocumulus, nimbostratus

• Fog-like layer that covers a lot of the sky

• The might produce light precipitation

Clouds of Vertical Development http://www.uyuganbatanes.com/u

b-yt.html

• Low height range but can extend upward into middle or high altitudes

• Cumulonimbus create rain showers or thunder storms

Fog http://lucidflora.blogspot.com/201

0/11/fog-at-flatwoods-pt-i.html

• Defined as a cloud with its base at the ground

• When cool air moves over warm air, moisture will evaporate and produce saturation as the rising water vapor meets the cool air and it condenses and looks like steam

Cold Cloud Precipitation http://sandboxcommentators.blogspot.com/2011/12/sandbox-comments-summit-

county-citizens_08.html

• Supercooled and supersaturated

• Supercooled water will readily freeze if it hits the ground

Warm Cloud Precipitation http://www.atmos.umd.edu/~meto200/3_

04_03_lecture_files/frame.htm

• Collision-coalescence process is the thing that make rain drops

• Water absorbing particles remove water vapor from the air at relative humanities less than 100% forming drops that are big.

Rain and Snow http://www.dimensionsguide.com/dimensi

on-of-a-raindrop/

• Raindrops have a diameter of at least .5 mm

• At temperatures warmer than -5 degrees C, ice crystals join together into large packs and have high moisture

Sleet, Glaze, and Hail http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hail

• Sleet is ice that is clear or translucent

• Glaze is when rain becomes supercooled and turn to ice when impacting the ground

• Hail is small pieces that grow when supercooled water droplets join it

THE END!!!!!!!!!Ms. Joseph is awesome!!!!!!