Chapter 5: Clouds

Fog

A cloud in contact with the ground

2 ways fog forms

Cooling the air to it’s saturation point (dew point)

Melting and evaporation (adding more vapor content to the atmosphere)

How is fog maintained

Forming new “fog droplets”

Adding moisture to the atmosphere

Stratus

Layers

Cumulus

Heap

Cirrus

Curl of Hair

Nimbus

Violent Rain

The 4 Primary Cloud Groups

High-Level, Middle-Level, Low-Level, Vertically Developed Clouds

Where are cirrus clouds formed?

High Level (Form above 20,000 feet)

Where are alto clouds formed

Middle-Level (Cloud bases = 6,500 - 23,000 feet)

Where are stratus clouds formed?

Low-level (Cloud base = below 6,500 feet)

Where are cumulus clouds formed?

Vertically developed clouds (1,000-5,000 base & 5,000-80,000 tops)

What happens to precipitation when clouds lower?

Precipitation percentage increases

What happens to the weather if a cloud grows taller

There becomes more severe weather in the cloud

How to get a cloud?

Cool the air and condense the air