How do clouds form?

Clouds form when water vapor in the air condenses to form liquid water or ice crystals. (pg 57)

What do we need to make a cloud? Water vapor Air temperature at Dew Point The presence of other particles –Dust –Smoke –Sea salt –pollution

How are clouds classified? Scientists use 2 traits to classify clouds: Shape Altitude

Classifying by SHAPE Clouds (like galaxies) are classified by their shape: –Cirrus (feathery) –Cumulus (fluffy) –Stratus (layered; blanket-like)

Classifying by ALTITUDE Use prefixes to tell what altitude clouds form at –Strato- low –Alto- middle –Cirro- high

6 cloud types 3 major cloud types: Cirrus Stratus Cumulus Other: Cumulonimbus Nimbostratus Fog

Task Your task is to work with your group members to research the following in your textbook: –Description of the cloud (what it looks like) –The weather it brings –A sketch of the cloud

Cirrus clouds Type: cirrus Description: feathery; made of ice crystals Weather: fair Usually form very high in the troposphere

Stratus clouds Type: stratus Description: layered, blanket-like Weather: precipitation likely

Cumulus clouds Type: cumulus Description: puffy Weather: fair

Cumulonimbus clouds Type: cumulonimbus Description: towering Weather: thunderstorms

The “Anvil” shape occurs when the cloud hits the edge of the troposphere and flattens out.

Name: Nimbostratus Description: a stratus cloud that IS precipitating Weather: It’s raining! (duh)

Fog Name: Fog Description: “ground cloud” Weather: it depends (variable)

Stratocumulus clouds (puffy + spread out)

The “Alto”s- clouds that form at middle altitudes AltostratusAltocumulus Alto- clouds form below cirrus clouds but are still above a tenor!