Clouds and Precipitation

Clouds Form as warm air is forced upward, expands, and cools. Billions of tiny droplets of water and dust form a cloud. 3 main types of clouds: Stratus, Cumulus, and Cirrus

Stratus Forms at low altitudes Clouds of flat layers, or smooth, even sheets Stratus clouds near the ground are called FOG Associated with fair weather, rain or snow

Cumulus Clouds are large, puffy, white clouds, often flat bases and may have gray centers. They grow upwards and tall Associated with fair weather, snow or thunderstorms

Nimbo or Nimbus Any cloud that produces precipitation. Cumulonimbus “thunderheads” produce thunderstorms.

Cirrus Cirrus clouds are the highest clouds. They usually mean fair weather. They look white and feathery.

Precipitation Water falling from the clouds 4 different forms: Rain, Snow, Sleet and Hail Air temperature determines which it will be

Rain Rain is when liquid water falls from the clouds Rain will fall when temperatures are above freezing.

Snow Snow forms when the temperatures are so cold that water vapor turns into a solid.

Sleet Sleet forms when raindrops pass through a layer of freezing air near the surface.

Hail Hailstones are pellets of ice that form inside a cloud Melt once they hit Earth’s warm surface