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Clouds. What are Clouds? A cloud is a large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice crystals. The droplets are so small and light that they can float in the air.
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What are Clouds?A cloud is a large collection of very tiny droplets of water or ice crystals. The droplets are so small and light that they can float in the air.
How are clouds formed?Clouds form when the air is filled with water. When the wet air is warmed by the sun, it rises into the sky like a bubble. This bubble of air cools as it rises . The water in the air turns from a gas into a liquid or a solid. This process makes a cloud.- Fluffy, Flat and Wet by Dana Meachen Rau
Types of Clouds There are many different types of clouds. The 3 main types of clouds are: • Cirrus • Stratus • Cumulus There are also combination clouds like • Cirrostratus • Cirrocumulus • Altostratus • Altocumulus • Stratocumulus • Nimbostratus • Cumulonimbus Cirrus = high Alto = medium Stratus = low
Cirrus Clouds“The Horses Tail” Cirrus clouds are the most common of the high clouds. They are composed of ice and are thin, wispy clouds blown in high winds into long streamers. Cirrus clouds are usually white and predict fair to pleasant weather.
Stratus Clouds“A thick gray blanket” Stratus clouds are uniform grayish clouds that often cover the entire sky. They resemble fog that doesn't reach the ground. Light mist or drizzle sometimes falls out of these clouds.
Cumulus Clouds“Cotton balls or pillows” Cumulus clouds are white, puffy clouds that look like pieces of floating cotton. Cumulus clouds are often called "fair-weather clouds". The base of each cloud is flat and the top of each cloud has rounded towers. There is usually a lot of blue sky showing between the clouds.
Nimbus or Nimbo Clouds The word nimbus or nimbo means precipitation producing cloud. Nimbus clouds are dark clouds that carry huge quantities of water droplets. The water droplets pour down in various forms like rain, snow, hail and sleet. The word nimbus/nimbo may come at the beginning or ending of a cloud name. Nimbostratus clouds: clouds that produce steady rain. Cumulonimbus clouds: clouds that produce thunderstorms. Example:
Conclusion Clouds can be fluffy and white or heavy and gray. They can bring rain and snow, or day long drizzle. But whatever color or shape they come in, they still do the same thing. They return water to the Earth, and they are an important part of the water cycle.
