1. CLOUDS, CLOUDS, and more CLOUDS
6th Grade Science

2. All types of Clouds

3. How do clouds form?
They form as warm air is forced upward, expands, and cools.
As the air cools, the
amount of water vapor
needed for saturation
decreases and the
relative humidity
increases.

4. Formation continued…
Water vapor forms tiny droplets around small particles such as dust and salt.
These droplets of water are so small that they remain suspended in the air.
BILLIONS of these droplets form a cloud.

5. Classifying Clouds Clouds are identified by size and height.
Some clouds are very high in the sky while others are very low and flat.
Dense clouds bring in rain and snow, while others are thin and wispy and appear on sunny days.
The shape and height of these clouds vary with temperature, pressure, and the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.

6. Cirrus Stratus Cumulus
Types of clouds
There are 3 main types of clouds:
Stratus
Cirrus
Cumulus
Cirrus
Stratus
Cumulus

7. Stratus Stratus: Form at low altitudes
Associated with fair weather, RAIN, or SNOW
When air is cooled to its dew point near the ground it forms a stratus cloud called FOG.

8. Cumulus Masses of puffy, white clouds, often with flat bases.
They tower to great heights!
Associated with fair weather or thunderstorms
These are the type of clouds you make figures out of.

9. Cirrus Appear fibrous or curly.
They are high, thin, white, feathery clouds made of ice crystals.
Associated with fair, sunny weather, but they can sometimes indicate approaching storms.

10. Cloud Families Clouds are grouped into families by height and form.
Low, Middle, and High clouds
Prefixes help us also determine other types of clouds.
Cirro = high clouds
Alto = middle level clouds
Strato = low elevation

11. High Level Clouds Cirrocumulus: fluffy, high, cotton-type clouds
Cirrostratus: thin sheets,
high whitish layers of clouds

12. Middle Level Clouds Altocumulus: Rounded layers
or patches of clouds, middle
of the sky
Altostratus: Gray, streaked
layers of clouds, middle of the sky
Nimbostratus: Mid-level, thick, gray
layers of clouds bring rain and snow
(NIMBO = “rain”)

13. Low Level Clouds Stratocumulus: Layers of cumulus clouds, low
Cumulonimbus: Large, dark, billowing clouds

14. GUESS the CLOUD!

15. Cirrus

16. Cirrocumulus

17. Cumulus

18. Cumulonimbus

19. Altostratus

20. Nimbostratus

21. Stratocumulus

22. Stratus

23. Altocumulus

24. Cirrostratus