Clouds

1. Clouds BY: Melanie T., Mya C., Nasir S., and Diego R.

2. What are clouds? • Masses of tiny droplets of ice crystals or water droplets • Part of the water cycle • Clouds are made up of billions of water droplets or ice crystals and sometimes both.

3. How do clouds form? • Form when water vapor in the air condenses(CONDENSATION) • When water vapor condenses ,it changes to liquid water • Formation starts when warm air rises (EVAPORATION) • Warm air near Earth’s surface holds water vapor

4. CT. How do clouds form? • As warm air rises, it moves into the cooler parts of the atmosphere • Cool air cannot hold as much water vapor as warm air • Some of the water vapor condenses around tiny pieces of dust in the air • Tiny droplets of liquid water form. • If the air is very cold, the water vapor forms ice crystals

5. Average Weather • 72ºF Average high weather for Jacksonville, NC • 47ºF Average low weather for Jacksonville, NC • 59ºF is the average weather for Jacksonville, NC • The average cloud for Jacksonville, NC is cumulus

6. Height range • Up to 6500 feet- stratus • From 6500 ft. to 1800 ft.- cumulus • 1800 ft. or higher- cirrus

7. Today’s cloud: Green clouds (so watch out for tornadoes)

8. Questions!! Pick A Cloud Cumulonimbus Cumulus Altocumulus Cirrostratus Stratocumulus Cirrus Stratus Altostratus Nimbostratus Fog

9. Cumulus • Puffy • flat at bottom • White • Indicate good weather • Higher than stratus but lower than cirrus • Often spread out • Large spaces of blue sky in-between • Sometimes become big and dark (cumulonimbus

10. Cumulonimbus • Bring rain, thunder, and lightening • Can’t hold all their water droplets • The rain drops are so heavy that they can turn in to Rain, Snow, or hail • The Clouds tall, puffy, and Gray • Often call “Storm Clouds”

11. Nimbostratus Clouds Nimbostratus clouds form at or below 6,000 feet. They are dark, low level clouds that bring light to moderately heavy precipitation, such as snow or rain. These clouds, although low in the atmosphere, may contain ice crystals when the temperatures get below the freezing point. Below nimbostratus clouds can lie broken up clouds that are called fractostratus clouds.

12. Altocumulus clouds Altocumulus clouds are made of water droplets and appear as gray puffy masses. They usually form in groups. If you see altocumulus clouds on a warm, sticky morning, be prepared to see thunderstorms late in the afternoon.

13. gray or multicolored gray appearance. Stratus Stratus clouds are uniformed layered clouds that are below 6,000 feet. They are formed in sheets and are usually associated with overcast weather. Fog or mist is the result of very low stratus clouds. They can form only a few hundred feet above ground. They are shallow but cover a large area, and they can bring precipitation. Stratus clouds are more known for drizzle than for precipitation, however. When heavier rain falls from them, their title is changed to nimbostratus clouds. Stratus clouds are formed when a weak upward air current lifts a thin layer of air high enough to start condensation of the excess water vapor if the air temperature falls below the dew point.

14. Altostratus Clouds Altostratus clouds appear in altitudes of 6,000 to 20,000 feet. They are very thin and uniform, and are gray or blue-gray, creating overcast. They are translucent enough to see the sun or moon through them, however they do not allow enough light to make shadows on the Earth’s surface. Altostratus clouds are associated with coming rain, and they usually cover most, if not all, of the sky. Altostratus clouds are incapable of producing heavy precipitation, but they are often the cause of a light drizzle. Following altostratus clouds are nimbostratus clouds, which are the source of heavier precipitation.

15. Stratocumulus clouds Stratocumulus clouds are low puffy gray clouds. Most form in rows with blue sky visible in between them. Rain rarely occurs with stratocumulus clouds, however, they can turn into nimbostratus clouds

16. Fog Fog can be created when warm moist air is over cold ground or soil. Fog is a very dangerous thing on the road it can be a visibility of O%. Fog is not usaully counted as a cloud because of how it is created. Clouds are created by condensation and fog is created by warm moist air.

17. Cirrus • Cirrus look like wispy little feathers and are made from tiny ice crystals • Cirrus clouds form when there is cool air in the atmosphere • If you happen to see these clouds their may be a chanced that you will see rain in the next 48-72 hours • Cirrus clouds are located about 600m or 20,00 ft in the air • These clouds usually move east to west

18. Cirrocumulus • Cirrocumulus clouds are small rounded clouds • That are usally found around winter • These clouds usually have small ripples that represent fish scales • Some people have nicknamed these clouds “ mackerel sky clouds” • These clods are in the sky about 500-1300ft in the air • They can come in shades of white or gray

19. Cirrostratus • Cirrostratus is a milky color clod made out of ice crystals and it sometimes looks like a small halo appearance around the sun or moon • When you see these clouds you can expect to see rain from 8-24 hours • Although you might see rain their may be a chance you’ll see snow • These clouds allow the sun or moon to shine through them

20. Cloud Questions

21. Question’s!!!!!!!!!!!! What are the 3 main types of clouds?

22. Question #1 • Cirrus • Cumulus • Stratus

23. Question #2 • Where do cirrus clouds form?

24. They form above 18,000 feet.

25. What do cumulus clouds indicate?

26. Fair weather

27. When you see cirrus clouds you know it will rain within ___ and __ hours

28. 48 and 72 hours

29. Draw a line from the word to a picture Stratus Altostratus Nimbostratus

30. Resources • http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-clouds.htm • http://www.weather.com/weather/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USNC0342 • Used notes/study guide • Coach books pg. 65-68

31. Thank you for watching • Do good on the E.O.G.’s