Clouds can come in all sizes and shapes, and can form near the ground or high in the

atmosphere. Clouds are groups of tiny water droplets or ice crystals in the sky and are formed by different processes. They can make different kinds of precipitation depending on the atmosphere's temperature. Cloud types are classified by height and appearance. The shape depends on the way the air moves around the cloud. If air moves horizontally, clouds form spread-out layers. Clouds grow upward if air is moving vertically near the cloud. At any given time, clouds cover about 50% of the Earth. We would not have rain, thunderstorms, rainbows, or snow without clouds. Clouds make up some of the atmospheric optics we can see in the sky. The atmosphere would be boring if the sky was always clear! Clouds form when the water vapor condenses into small particles. The particles in clouds can either be liquid or solids. Liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere are referred to as cloud droplets and the solid particles are often called ice crystals. As a volume of unsaturated air cools, its relative humidity increases. If sufficiently cooled, the relative humidity becomes 100%, the temperature equals the dew point. The potential for cloud formation (and precipitation) depends on the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. As a parcel of air rises, the moisture it contains cools and condenses out onto small particles of dust called cloud condensation nuclei until a cloud forms. Lifting, also referred to as adiabatic cooling, is the most common method of humidification of air to form clouds. As air rises it expands because pressure decreases with altitude. Kinetic energy is converted to potential energy and the parcel temperature decreases, and the relative humidity increases. The method of vertical lifting (orographic, convective, convergence, or frontal) and the stability of the atmosphere determines the type of cloud. Cumulus clouds tend to form in unstable atmospheres. Layered clouds form in more stable environments in which large layers of air are slowly lifted. The two main large scale lifting processes that result in cloud formation are convection and advection of air. Convection refers to air rising vertically in the atmosphere due to heating. Advection is the horizontal transfer of air that usually results in warmer air being forced up over cooler air. Both advection and convection results in the formation of clouds.

Clouds play a crucial role in our global climate. Clouds reflect shortwave solar energy back into space and tend to cool the earth. On the other hand, clouds absorb longwave terrestrial radiation and warm the planet. Satellites are helping scientists study this important dynamic. In appearance, clouds may be thick or thin, have well defined edges or be very diffuse, appear hairlike, cellular, towering, or in sheets, and be associated with fair weather or precipitation. Most clouds owe their existence to upward vertical motion of air, hence they are often associated with weather producing phenomena, such as fronts, troughs, and low pressure systems. However, topography can also help move air upwards and produce clouds. Cloud formation takes place almost entirely at the bottom atmosphere known as the Troposphere. Clouds are divided into two main groups: the shape of cumulus (cumiliform) and the shape-layered (stratiform). The size, shape and color of the clouds change with moisture content and stability atmosphere. The atmosphere generally divided into three levels defined by latitude, height and frequency of clouds such as follows:

Stage High Middle Low 6 - 18 km 2 - 8 km

Area

Medium Tropical Regions 5 - 13 km 2 - 7 km

Polar Region 3 - 8 km 2 - 4 km

From the Earth to theFrom the Earth to theFrom the Earth to the level of 2 km level of 2 km level of 2 km

Cloud Types
Most clouds are associated with weather. These clouds can be divided into groups mainly based on the height of the cloud's base above the Earth's surface. The following table provides information about cloud groups and any cloud classes associated with them. In

addition, some clouds don't fall into the categories by height. These additional cloud groups are listed below the high, middle, and low cloud groups.

Cloud Group and Height *

Cloud Types

High Clouds 5,00013,000m

Middle Clouds 2,0007,000m

Low Clouds Surface2,000m

Clouds with Vertical Growth Surface13,000m

Unusual Clouds

Contrails 5,00013,000m

The cloud heights provided in this table are for the mid-latitudes. Cloud heights are different at the tropics and in the polar regions. In addition, a few other cloud types are found in higher layers of the atmosphere. Polar stratospheric clouds are located in a layer of the atmosphere called the stratosphere. Polar mesoshperic, or noctilucent, clouds are located in the atmospheric layer called the mesosphere.

High Clouds
The high cloud group consists of Cirrus, Cirrostratus, and Cirrocumulus clouds. The prefix cirro- means 'high.' The biggest distinction between high clouds and other levels is the fact that they are made up of ice crystals and not water droplets due to the cold air in the upper troposphere. The base of a high cloud above the surface can be anywhere from 600018000m in the tropics to 3000-8000m in the polar regions.

Cirrus
Cirrus (weather symbol - Ci) clouds are the most common of the High Cloud altitude wispy (5000-13000m) group. They are composed entirely of ice and consist of long, thin, wispy streamers. They are usually quite thin and often have a hairlike or filament type of appearance. The curled up ends as depicted in this picture are very common features.They are commonly known as "mare's tails" because of their appearance.

The reason for the long tails is primarily due to the wind. In the upper troposphere, the winds travel at very high speeds from west to east (in the Northern Hemisphere). The winds are so strong at these altitudes that they actually stretch the crystalline structure of the Cirrus cloud, creating a tail. Cirrus clouds are usually white and predict fair weather.

Cirrostratus
Cirrostratus (weather symbol - Cs) clouds consist almost entirely of ice crystals and belong to the High Cloud (5000-13000m) group. They are sheetlike thin clouds that usually cover the entire sky. The sun or moon can shine through cirrostratus clouds . Sometimes, the sun or moon will appear to have a halo around it when in the presence of cirrostratus. The ice crystals from the cloud refracts the light from the sun or moon, creating a halo. This halo is the width of your hand when you hold it out at arm's length.
Cirrostratus clouds near Moab, Utah.

Cirrostratus clouds usually come 12-24 hours

before a rain or snow storm. This is especially true if Middle group clouds are associated with it. You can distinguish a cirrostratus from an altostratus cloud by looking for your shadow on the ground. If you can see your shadow, then the cloud is cirrostratus.

Cirrocumulus
Cirrocumulus clouds (weather symbol - Cc) are composed primarily of ice crystals and belong to the High Cloud group (5000-13000m) that have a distinct patchy and/or wavelike appearance or composed of many individual cloud elements with its banded linear structure. These features are common to all types of cumuloform clouds.. They are small rounded puffs that usually appear in long rows. Cirrocumulus are usually white, but sometimes appear gray. Cirrocumulus clouds are the same size or smaller than the width of your littlest finger when you hold up your hand at arm's length. If these clouds cover a lot of the sky, it is called a "mackerel sky" because the sky looks like the scales of a fish. Cirrocumulus are usually seen in the winter time and indicate fair, but cold weather.

Middle Clouds
The middle cloud group consists of Altostratus and Altocumulus clouds. The prefix alto- means 'middle.' Middle clouds consist of ice crystals and water droplets. The base of a middle cloud above the surface can be anywhere from 2000-8000m in the tropics to 20004000m in the polar regions. Middle clouds have many similarities to the cumuloform and stratiform high clouds. Since they are closer to groundbased observer, the cumuloform elements in particular appear larger than their high cloud counterparts. They can contain ice crystals and/or water droplets and may occasionally be associated with some light precipitation.

Altostratus 6

Altostratus clouds (weather symbol - As) consist of water and some ice crystals. They belong to the Middle Cloud group (2000-7000m up). An altostratus cloud usually covers the whole sky and has a gray or blue-gray appearance. The sun or moon may shine through an altostratus cloud, but will appear watery or fuzzy.

This is a photograph of altostratus

An altostratus cloud usually forms ahead

of storms with continuous rain or snow. Occasionally, rain will fall from an altostratus cloud. If it hits the ground, then the cloud becomes classified as a nimbostratus cloud.

Altocumulus
Altocumulus clouds (weather symbol - Ac), are made primarily of liquid water and have a thickness of 1 km. They are part of the Middle Cloud group (2000-7000m up). They are grayish-white with one part of the cloud darker than the other. Altocumulus clouds usually form in groups. You can distinguish an altocumulus cloud from a stratocumulus cloud by pointing your hand toward the cloud. If the cloud is about the size of your thumbnail, then it is altocumulus. Altocumulus have distinct cloud elements and are either in a patchy, scattered distribution or can appear in linear bands. Altocumulus clouds in view on a warm humid morning indicate thunderstorms by late afternoon.
This is a photograph of altocumulus clouds.

Low Cloud

The low cloud group consists of Stratus, Stratocumulus, and Nimbostratus clouds. Low clouds consist of water droplets. The base of a low cloud is from the surface to 2000m. ow clouds are most often composed of water droplets, but can have ice crystals in colder climates. Some of these clouds can develop into the multi-level clouds and can go through various phases, such as, a morning stratus deck turning into late morning stratocumulus, then early afternoon cumulus, and vertical development into cumulonimbus which can produce heavy rain and possible lightning and thunder.

Stratus
Stratus (weather symbol - St) clouds consist of water droplets and belong to the Low Cloud (surface-2000m up) group. They are uniform gray in color and can cover most or all of the sky. Stratus clouds can look like a fog that doesn't reach the ground. Light mist or drizzle is sometimes associated with stratus clouds.

This photograph of stratus clouds was taken in San Giamano, Tuscany, Italy.

Stratocumulus
Stratocumulus (weather symbol - Sc) clouds consist of water droplets and belong to the Low Cloud (surface-2000m) group. These clouds are low, lumpy, and gray. These clouds can look like cells under a microscope - sometimes they line up in rows and other times they spread out. Only light precipitation, generally in the form of drizzle, occurs with stratocumulus clouds. To distinguish between

8 This photograph is of stratocumulus at sunset.

a stratocumulus and an altocumulus cloud, point your hand toward the cloud. If the cloud is about the size of your fist, then it is stratocumulus.

Nimbostratus
Nimbostratus (weather symbol - Ns) clouds are composed of water droplets and belong to the Low Cloud (surface to 2000m up) group. They are dark gray with a ragged base. Nimbostratus clouds are associated with continuous rain or snow. Sometimes they cover the whole sky and you can't see the edges of the cloud but they are also considered multi-layer clouds because their vertical extent often goes well into the middle cloud region and these clouds often have even taller cumulonimbus clouds embedded within them. The clouds are very dark, usually overcast, and are associated with large areas of continuous precipitation. If it's a gray and rainy day as shown in this photo, the sky most will most likely be filled with nimbostratus clouds.
This is a photograph of nimbostratus clouds and a rainbow in Seattle, WA. Can you see the rain falling from the clouds?

If it's a gray and rainy day as shown in this photo, the sky most will most likely be filled with nimbostratus clouds.

Clouds with Vertical Growth

Clouds with vertical growth include cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds. These clouds grow high up into the atmosphere rather than spreading across the sky. They span all levels of the troposphere and can even rise up into the stratosphere. These multi-layer clouds are the heavy precipitation producers. The depth of these clouds give precipitation hydrometeors a better environment to develop and grow. Clouds with vertical growth develop by warm air rising from the surface. Cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds provide the some of the most interesting and severe weather on Earth. Cumulus Cumulus (weather symbol - Cu) clouds belong to the Clouds with Vertical Growth group. They are puffy white or light gray clouds that look like floating cotton balls. Cumulus clouds have sharp outlines and a flat base. Cumulus clouds generally have a lower cloud deck of 1000m and a width of 1km. Cumulus clouds can be associated with good or bad weather. Cumulus humilis clouds generally show up on a warm summer day and are associated with fair weather. These clouds have only slight vertical growth and they are detached with lots of blue sky in between. Cumulus congestus clouds are usually associated with bad weather. These clouds grow to great heights and usually become cumulonimbus clouds. Their tops look like cauliflower heads and indicate that light to heavy showers can occur. Here's a tip on how to know if you see a cumulus cloud in the sky. Cumulus cloud cells (the individual puffs of clouds) are about the size of your fist or larger when you hold up your hand at arm's length to look at the cloud.

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Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus (weather symbol - Cb) clouds belong to the Clouds with Vertical Growth group. They are generally known as thunderstorm clouds. They are the tallest of all clouds that can span all cloud layers and extend above 60,000 feet. They usually have large anvil-shaped tops (as shown) which form because of the stronger winds at those higher levels of the atmosphere. A cumulonimbus cloud can grow to such heights that it actually reaches the tropopause. At this height, high winds will flatten the top of the cloud out into an anvil-like shape. Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with heavy rain, snow, hail, lightning, and tornadoes.

Unusual Clouds
Orographic clouds, as the name implies, are produced by the flow of air interacting with mountainous terrain.

Lenticular
Lenticular clouds are lens-shaped clouds that can result from strong wind flow over rugged terrain. Lenticular clouds are form on the downwind side of air flowing over a large mountain or mountain range. Unlike most clouds that move across the sky, lenticular clouds stay in one place as air appears to blow through them. What is really happening is that the cloud forms
In the Boulder, Colorado, area, the obstacle is the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, seen through clouds at the bottom of the picture.

on

the

side

closest

to

the

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mountains where air is uplifting over the top of the mountain. Then the cloud moves with the wind and evaporates on the downwind side, so it appears stationary even though air is moving through the cloud. Sometimes they stack up like pancakes in multiple layer Lenticular, or lee wave, clouds form downwind of an obstacle in the path of a strong air . As this photo on this page shows, lenticular clouds are lens-shaped and resemble flying saucers.

Cap cloud
Cap Cloud form when air containing water vapor is uplifted on the windward slide of the slope and reaches saturation producing liquid water cloud droplets and a cloud which can "cap" the summit.. A mountain top is sometimes capped by a more or less smooth cloud. This cap cloud is related to lenticularis, but forms directly over the mountaintop as opposed to lenticularis, that may form at middle altitudes above the mountain. A cap cloud is formed when humid air (maybe moistened by the mountain terrain) is forced to flow over the mountain, condensing into a cloud. Cap cloud or cloud cap is a stratiform, orographic cloud that hovers above or over an isolated mountain peak, formed by the cooling and condensation of moist air forced up and over the peak and lenticularly shaped by horizontal upper level winds. The cloud appears to remain essentially stationary. The term is also occasionally used for pileus (Latin for cap) cloud. Unlike the mountain cap cloud the pileus is essentially an accessory cloud, that appears as a smooth cap, or hood or above a cumulus cumulonimbus

cloud. The cap forms when a humid layer is lifted to its dew point above a rising thermal. This may later penetrate the pileus, which will eventually be absorbed into the main cloud body. Sometimes several layers of pileus form above one another.

This photo of a cloud-capped and snow covered Mt. Rainier was taken on a July afternoon at Mt. Rainier National Park in Washington State

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Kelvin-Helmholtz
Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds look like breaking waves in the ocean. After wind blows up and over a barrier, like a mountain, the air continues flowing through the atmosphere in a wavelike pattern. Complex and tops of and the form evaporation the capped

condensation patterns create cloudless waves. These

This photograph of Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds was taken in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

troughs

clouds

when there is a difference in the wind speed or direction between two wind currents in the atmosphere.

Mammatus
Mammatus clouds are pouches of clouds that hang underneath the base of a cloud. They are most often associated with cumulonimbus clouds( sometimes, strong cumulonimbus clouds can have appendages protruding from the base of the cloud, which are called "mammatus" clouds because they resemble the mammary glands of mammals) and they indicate that a storm is particularly strong. These clouds usually form during warm months, and they are formed by descending air in the cloud. They indicate that the atmosphere is quite unstable and can also be This is a photo of mammatus clouds, taken in Weld County, Colorado an indicator of impending severe weather. Mammatus clouds have been described as looking like a field of tennis balls or melons, or like female human breasts. In fact, the name "mammatus" comes from the Latin word mamma, or breast, because of this resemblance.

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Contrails
The white streaks you see coming off high-flying jet airplanes are called contrails, which is short for condensation trail. Contrails are clouds that form when water vapor condenses and freezes around small particles (aerosols) that exist in aircraft exhaust. The water vapor comes from the air around the plane and the exhaust of the aircraft. Some contrails evaporate quickly while others stay in the sky for a long time after the airplane is gone. These contrails can become human-made cirrus clouds. Contrails last longer when there is a greater amount of water in the air; they last until the water in the clouds evaporates. There are three types of contrails: short-lived, persistent non-spreading, and persistent spreading. The study of contrails addresses important scientific questions, as they are clouds whose formation is a direct result of human activities. A change in the amount of high-level cloudiness resulting from contrails may impact our climate. Contrails can be seen over virtually all parts of the world as white streaks across the sky.
This photograph shows many contrails in the sky near Sutherland, NE (November 2004).

New cloud formation Asperatus Cloud, New Zealand

Photograph courtesy Merrick Davies An "asperatus" cloud rolls over New Zealand's South Island in an undated picture. This apparently new class of clouds is still a mystery. But experts suspect asperatus clouds' choppy undersides
The cloud called Undulatus Asperastus

may be due to strong winds

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disturbing previously stable layers of warm and cold air. Asperatus clouds may spur the first new classification in the World Meteorological Organization's International Cloud Atlas since the 1950s, Gavin Pretor-Pinney said. Since the last addition to the atlas, the emergence of satellite imagery has pushed meteorologists to take a much broader view on weather and focus less on small-scale cloud formations. But "the tide is turning back again," in part because the humble cloud is seen as a "wild card" in climate-change prediction, Pretor-Pinney said. LeMone agreed that clouds are a "big unknown" in climate change, mostly because climatechange models do not provide a high-enough resolution to determine what clouds' impacts will be on a changing world. June 3, 2009

Asperatus Cloud, Iowa Photograph courtesy Jane Wiggins

Asperatus Cloud, Scotland Photograph courtesy Ken Prior

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How to identify different cloud types on satellite images

Low Level Clouds
Low clouds float between 100 feet high and 6500 feet above the earth. Two common types, stratus and cumulus, undergo very different processes to become clouds. A cumulus cloud results when air is heated up by the sun and rises a bit faster than the surrounding air. This process is called convection. At a certain level in the atmosphere the air cools and the water vapor condenses out to form a cloud. Convective cumulus clouds develop puffy cotton shaped profiles. These clouds are easy to pick out on visible satellite images, as long as there arent any clouds above them! The images below provide a view of cumulus clouds from the ground, and from visible and infrared satellite images.

Cumulus clouds from below Visible satellite image IR satellite image

The first satellite image is a visible image using reflected light, the second satellite image is an IR image that measures thermal energy.

Clouds that produce precipitation

When the atmosphere becomes unstable the

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convection intensifies and cumulus clouds can develop into rain clouds or thunderstorms. A mature thunderstorm is called a cumulonimbus and is also very easy to pick out on satellite images. Powerful cumulonimbus clouds with bright white overshooting tops that punch through the tropopause are especially easy to track on visible satellite images.

Overshooting top

Cumulonimbus cloud from below

Visible satellite image

Amazing Cloud Formation

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Over Madrid, Spain

Unique cloud formation toward Roanoke/Salem

Reference

The pancake cloud formation over Bacon-nRare cloud form above Antartica Eggs Mountain

http://windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/clouds/cloud_types.html

Lenticular cloud, Achill Island, West of Ireland downtown Dallas

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/photogalleries/new-cloudpictures/#/asperatus-cloud-united-kingdom_9629_600x450.jpg http://vortex.plymouth.edu/cloudboutique/ http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/satmet/modules/clouds/index.html http://www.cloudappreciationsociety.org/gallery/index.php? auto=1&showimage=4962 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud#Other_clouds http://www.as.ysu.edu/~wbuckler/Weather/syllabus.html http://www.webdesigncore.com/2010/05/21/35-bizarre-examples-of-cloudphotography/#comment-9490 http://henry.pha.jhu.edu/ssip/asat_int/clouds.html

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