Clouds

In the atmosphere, a cloud is a floating mass of water or ice particles. Clouds form as water condenses in the sky. Because of the condensation, we can see the water vapour. Clouds are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Clouds play a crucial part in the Earth’s weather and climate. 

Clouds and Their Formation

Clouds form when water in the sky condenses. It’s possible that the water will evaporate from the earth or transfer from other places. Water vapour is always present in the sky, but it is invisible. Clouds arise when a region of air cools to the point where the water vapour condenses into liquid form. The air is said to be “saturated” with water vapour at that stage. For the water vapour to condense, the air where the cloud forms must be chilly enough. Condensation nuclei are objects like dust, ice, or sea salt that cause water to condense. The temperature, wind, and other factors that influence cloud formation determine the sort of cloud that forms.

Types of Clouds 

• Low Level Cloud – Base is usually below 6,500ft

Cumulus Cloud

These clouds typically form between 1,000 and 5,000 feet in altitude, while temperature spikes after formation generally result in an increase in cloud base height. These clouds are created by air rising as a result of surface heating and can produce small showers on rare occasions.

Stratus Cloud

The cloud base is usually between the surface and 2,000 feet, but it can reach 4,000 feet. Thick stratus can create a lot of rain, especially in hilly or coastal areas, while it’s possible that some of the rain is coming from higher clouds like nimbostratus.

Stratocumulus Cloud

This cloud is most common between 1,000 and 4,000 feet in altitude, however it can occasionally be higher. While these clouds do not usually produce rain, they can produce drizzle, especially in hilly or coastal places, and can be dense enough to cover the sun or moon.

Cumulonimbus Cloud

Cloud base is usually between 2,000 and 5,000 feet, though it can be lower or higher in exceptional situations. When conditions allow deep convection to form, these clouds form, and they can have a large vertical extension, especially in the tropics, sometimes reaching the tropopause. These clouds bring torrential rain, thunderstorms, and hail, as well as squally winds. These clouds start out as liquid drops, but as altitude rises, the cloud transitions to a mixed phase, then to fully glaciated conditions.

• Mid-Level Clouds — With a few exceptions, the base is normally between 6,500 and 20,000 feet. Mid-level clouds occur at temperatures ranging from 0 to –40 degrees Celsius, depending on height and season, and may contain warm or supercooled droplets as well as ice particles.

Altostratus Cloud

The cloud base is approximately 10,000 and 20,000 feet high. The sun or moon is typically hidden by thicker forms of these clouds, which create continuous light precipitation and obscure the sun or moon, while the sun or moon is shown with a ground glass appearance by thinner forms.

Altocumulus Cloud

This type of cloud is found between 6,500 and 20,000 feet and has a fractured look. It can occasionally generate precipitation and be thick enough to obscure the sun or moon.

Nimbostratus Cloud

The cloud base can be anywhere from the ground to 10,000 feet. These clouds always obscure the sun or moon, and they usually deliver a steady stream of moderate to heavy precipitation.

• High Level Clouds- The cloud base is normally above 20,000 feet.

Cloud Cirrus

In the UK, the base is usually between 20,000 and 40,000 feet, but it can be much higher in the tropics. Cirrus clouds do not create precipitation that falls to the earth, but they do produce streaks of particles (known as fall streaks) that can be seen below them. Cirrus clouds can produce a variety of halos and other optical effects.

Cirrostratus Cloud

A thin high-level cloud that frequently produces halos and through which the sun’s silhouette can be seen. These clouds are often the first apparent sign of an incoming weather front, and as the front approaches, they may thicken to altostratus and eventually nimbostratus, with a lower cloud base.

Cirrocumulus Cloud

These clouds, which are normally found in the same altitude range as cirrus, do not produce precipitation and have a more fractured look than cirrus, with the location of the sun or moon evident.

• Other Cloud Types

Orographic Cloud

Cloud base is formed when air is forced to rise over elevated terrain. Its range is similar to that of other low level clouds, although it is dependent on existing conditions. At the summit of the hill, an orographic cloud is frequently in contact with the ground. Larger systems may produce drizzle, although these clouds rarely produce precipitation.

Noctilucent

The cloud is made up of water ice and is quite thin. These clouds, which are located in the mesosphere at a height of roughly 280,000ft, are the highest clouds in the atmosphere. They are only seen when the sun has gone below the horizon and is lighted by light from below.

Conclusion

Clouds assist in the regulation of the Earth’s energy balance by reflecting and dispersing solar radiation as well as absorbing infrared energy. Clouds are necessary for precipitation and are hence an important part of the hydrologic cycle.

Cirrus clouds are usually white and indicate that the weather will be good to pleasant. You can tell which direction the weather is coming from by studying the movement of cirrus clouds.