6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 1

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 2

1) Definition of clouds …03

2) Formation of clouds …06

3) Classification of clouds …10

4) Vertically Developed clouds …16

5) Categories …19

1) Cumulus clouds …20

1) Hmulis …23

2) Fractus …26

3) Congestus …28

4) Castellanus …29

2) Cumulonimbus clouds …31

1) Cumulonimbus Incus …36

2) Cumulonimbus Mammatus …38

3) Cumulonimbus Calvus …41

6) References …44

6/7/2013 3 METEOROLOGY

“A visible collection of CONDENSED

tiny water droplets and ice crystals suspended

in the atmosphere.”

Clouds can be in variety of forms.

Some are found at high elevation but other

are near the ground relatively

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All the

weathering

phenomenon

occurs due to

the clouds…

ranges within

the

troposphere.

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Water is known to exist in three forms:

Clouds, snow and rain are all made up of

some form of water.

Generally produced by atmospheric motion with upward component cools the air.

Clouds form when temperature is below the dew point.

When air blows over the colder surface.

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By orographic uplift of air near the mountainous

terrain.

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Air parcel will rise up naturally if the air

within it is warmer than the surrounding air by

convection.

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Clouds are classified into a system that uses

“Latin” words to describe their appearances.

They are define on the basis of their

“Heights”.

This was done by an English chemist “Luke

Howard” in 1803.

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LATIN NAMES ENGLISH NAMES

Cirrus Curl of hair

Stratus Layer like

Cumulus Heap

Nimbus Rain

HOWARD divided them into 4 categories

using Latin names as:

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They are further divided into 4 groups having 10

types of the clouds:

The first 3 groups are differentiating by their heights.

The fourth group contains thick clouds as they are

NOT describe on the basis of heights level from

grounds.

GROUPS HEIGHTS

High Clouds 5-13km

Middle Clouds 2-7km

Low Clouds 0-2km

Vertically Developed Clouds ---

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STRATUS CIRRUS

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C

U

M

U

L

U

S

N

I

M

B

U

S

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• Stratus

• Stratocumulus

• Nimbostratus

• Cumulus

• Cumulonimbus

• Altostratus

• Altocumulus

• Cirrus

• Cirrostratus

• Cirrocumulus

High Clouds

Middle Clouds

Low Clouds

Vertically Developed

Clouds

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 16

They are due to unstable atmospheric

conditions.

Height can range up to 12000m.

Generated most commonly either by

thermal convection or frontal lifting.

Releasing incredible amount of energy to

condensed the water vapor within the clouds.

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They are

generally not the

sign of calm

weather.

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Vertically developed clouds are more

conveniently divided into 2 categories as:

1)Cumulus Clouds

i. Cumulus Humilis Clouds

ii. Cumulus Fractus Clouds

iii. Cumulus Congestus Clouds

iv. Cumulus Constellus Clouds

2)Cumulonimbus Clouds

i. Cumulonimbus Incus Clouds

ii. Cumulonimbus Mammatus Clouds

iii. Cumulonimbus Calvus Clouds

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They look like white ball of cotton _ isolated in sky.

Are sign of pleasant weather.

They have flat bottoms and lumpy tops.

Top often is in the form of towers--- shows the limit

of rising air.

Rising air is associated with high relative humidity.

Generally they are formed by convection resulting

from solar heating in summers.

Over open lakes in autumn and winters.

Formation :

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They are found as low as 330ft.

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Humilis stands for “HUMBLE.”

Generally have flattened bases and slight vertical

development.

Mostly rises up to 5-8km.

Once the thermals rise above the surface, the

potential for cloud development increases.

At the condensation level, the relative humidity of

the thermal air will be around 100 percent (saturated).

Formation :

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 24

Between each cumulus humilis, the air descends slowly

to replace the rising thermals

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As a

result,

the

cloud -

field

can

look

very

regularl

-y

Spaced.

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Cumulus clouds that appear in irregular

fragments, as if they had been shred or torn.

Always appear in

association with other

clouds.

For a short time

before, during and a

short time after

precipitation.

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They can form in fair weather as rising pockets of

warm air rise and condense into these proto-clouds

Cumulus fractus on

not-so-fair days, too,

as they "shredded" by

larger cumulonimbus

cloud after a rain

storm

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 28

Congestus is Latin for "piled-up".

When a humilis cloud grows vertically

it turns into a congestus cloud.

These

clouds

may

produce

abunda

nt

show-

ers

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It stands for “Castle-like”.

It displays multiple towers

arising from its top, indicating

significant vertical air

movement

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These are more vertically developed than fair

weather cumulus and have tops that can reach up to

39,000 feet (12,000m).

These are fueled by strong updrafts that transfer air

up through the atmosphere.

These clouds are named because they are puffy

("cumulo") and because they often are dark clouds

which cause rainstorms ("nimbus").

Cumulonimbus clouds are characterized

as tall, dense clouds

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 32

Cumulonimbus clouds designs

its formation mostly during the

afternoon time, as this the time

when the earth surface gets

heated up.

Cumulonimbus clouds are

usually seen in the shape of

mushroom.

Common types of Clouds

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Cumulonimbus Cloud Over Africa Image Credit: NASA March 24, 2011

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Incus stands for “Anvil”.

A mature cumulonimbus incus is definitely the

“King of Clouds”, and sometimes reaching 60,000 feet

in tropical and subtropical areas.

Formation always be regarded as a significant

aviation hazard because of :

“the powerful air currents involved in its formation and

the potentially damaging effect of the large hailstones it

may produce.”

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They look like “BAG.”

Mammatus is one of the most spectacular and

distinctive of all cloud formations.

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 39

During a thunderstorm, warm, moist updrafts rise to

the top of the troposphere. Here the temperature levels

off and the air stabilizes. This causes the rising cloud to

expand horizontally over areas of cooler, cloud-free air.

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 40

Mechanisi

m for rain

formation by

cumulonimb

us

mammatus.

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Calvus stands for “Bald”.

Calvus occurs when convection and atmospheric

instability combine to push the cloud tops beyond the

congestus stage to heights of up to 30,000 feet.

6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 42

The mushrooming top is a sign

of the vigorous updrafts that may

eventually force the cloud up into

the highest levels of the

troposphere.

At this level of the troposphere,

temperatures are normally well

below freezing, and any

condensation that takes place will

produce ice crystals rather than

water droplets.

This gives the top of the cloud a

brilliant, white appearance.

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6/7/2013 METEOROLOGY 44

1. www.buzzel.com

2. www.uwsp.com

3. www.atmosphere.com

4. www.uiuc.com

5. www.climate4you.com

6. www.apollo.com

7. www.merrian.com

8. www.anglefire.com

9. www.cityofportsomuth.com

10.www.mapmakermeteor.com

11.www.islandnet.com

12.www.jeffsweather.com

13.www.mariauthorbooks.com

14.www.chitambo.com

15.www.trueknowldge.com

16.www.chalkrichmond.co

m

17.www.mapsofworld.com

18.www.airlinepilots.com

1. Meteorology Today

by C. Donald Ahrens

6th edition

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