Meteorology CH 5

Cirrus, what to they look like?

Thin and wispy

Cirrocumulus, what to they look like?

small rounded white puffs individually or in long rows, (fish sclaes; mackerel sky)

What is cloud A?

Cumulonimbus

what is cloud B?

Cirrostratus

what is cloud C?

Asperitas

What is cloud D?

Cumulus Humilis

What is cloud E?

Stratus

Which of the following cloud types only exists in the high levels of the atmosphere?

Cirrus

Which cloud refers to clouds that are layered and highlevel?

Cirrostratus

Which of the following refers to clouds that are heaping and raining?

cumulonimbus

Which of the following cloud types only exists in the mid levels of the atmosphere?

altostratus

Which of the following cloud types only exists in the mid levels of the atmosphere?

altocumulus

If the RH = 100%, but there is no wind present, what do we expect to form?

dew

If the RH = 100% with a moderate-to-strong wind present, what do we expect to form?

clouds

The ground cooled substantially and reached saturation. In the early morning hours, there were light winds (around 5 knots). If fog occurs, what kind of fog is it?

Radiation Fog

What type of fog is the most short lived, often seen from our breath in winter, or hovering over hot springs in places like Yellowstone?

Evaporation/Mixing Fog

What satellite product can be used to estimate cloud top heights?

Infrared Imagery

Evaporation fog is formed by which process(es)?

adding moisture to the air AND mixing to saturation

Upslope fog is formed by which process(es)?

cooling the air to saturation

what is more common cirrocumulus or cirrus?

Cirrus

Cirrostratus

The sun and moon clearly visible with which clouds, thin and sheet like.

Altocumulus

Mostly water drops, larger puffs, more dark/light contrast

Altostratus

Gray, blue-gray, composed of ice crystals and water droplets, often covers entire sky.

stratus

uniform gray, usually no precipitation, sun and moon are not visible.

nimbostratus

Usually dark gray in appearance, light to moderate precipitation, normally cannot see sun or moon.

What cloud is this?

Cirrus

What cloud is this?

Cirrocumulus

What cloud is this?

Cirrostratus

What is this formation

Sun Dog

What cloud is this?

Altocumulus

What cloud is this?

Altostratus

What cloud is this?

Status

What cloud is this?

Nimbostratus

What cloud is this?

Stratocumulus

what stage of cumulus is this?

Cumulus Humilis

what stage of cumulus is this?

Cumulus Congestus

what stage of cumulus is this?

Cumulonimbus

what clouds sometimes form tornadoes?

Cumulonimbus

what are the two steps to identifying a cloud?

1.what level is it? 2. what nature is it?

what clouds are in the high atmosphere?

Cirrus/Cirro

what clouds are in the mid atmosphere?

Alto

what clouds are in the low atmosphere?

clouds with no prefix

what cloud type is layered

strat/stratus

what cloud type is heaping?

cumulo/cumulus

what cloud type is associated raining?

nimbo/nimbus

what cloud is this?

Mammatus

what cloud is this?

Pileus

when is dew formed

clear sky, no clouds, temp above 32, radiation

when is frost formed

clear sky, no clouds, temp below 32, radiation

when does haze occur

when the RH is 75%

how does fog dissipate?

Burns off or Mixes out

how do clouds form?

As air rises, it expands and cools. Its RH increases.

high clouds

thin, composed almost exclusively of ice crystals, rather thin

mid clouds

Composed of water drops and ice crystals

low clouds

mostly water droplets except in cold weather.

shallow cumulus; cumulus congestus; cumulonimbus are what kinds of clouds

tropical clouds

how often to Polar Orbiting Satelites orbit?

Once every 100 minutes and on each point of the earth twice a day.

Geostationary satelite

remains motionless/ stationary.

GOES

North and South America, emitted radiation and reflected sunlight

METEOSAT

Europe and Africa

MTSAT

Asia and Australia

Visible Satellite Imagery (white)

a lot of sunlight reflected, High albedo

Visible Satellite Imagery (gray)

less sunlight reflected, low albedo

Emitted Infrared Imagery (white)

Cold object, little infrared

Emitted Infrared Imagery (gray)

warm objects, lots of infrared

enhances infrared satellite imagery

increases contrast between features

what are aerosols?

Tiny suspended solid particles that enter the atmosphere form either natural or anthropogenic sources

Cloud Condensation Nuclei

Aerosols that atmospheric water vapor condense onto. Variety of sources. Mostly sulfates. Remain suspended. Concentrations decrease with height. More numerous in cities.

Dry haze

Dry condensation nuclei reflect and scatter sunlight•Common in industrialized areas•Combustion products•Loose surface products•Blue or yellowish color depending on background color

wet haze

RH=75%, most common in morning and evening and near large bodies of water.

radiation fog

Ground cools to saturation through conduction and radiation.

Advection Fog

Cools the air to saturation, Day or night, thick/dense and widespread. Rapid formation.

Upslope Fog

Needs a slope to form, wind component, and sufficient moisture advection. Thick, persistent, and dense.

Evaporation/Mixing fog

Steam Fog, Frontal Fog, Breath in winter. Adds moisture to the air and mixing to saturation. Forms when water vapor is added to air that is much colder than the vapors source.

Steam fog

Required Conditions: Warm moist surface, Colder air above surface

Characteristics: Patchy or widespread, thin or thick, and temporary or persistent.

Common locations: lakes or rivers, asphalt after precipitation.

relative humidity equation

e/es

Precipitation fog

formed when rain falls into cooler air

required conditions: precipitation unsaturated air below cloud and hear surface

characteristics: warm front, widespread, thick , persistent, thunderstorms, patchy, thin, and temporary

Ice fog

composed of suspended ice crystals

formation: either cool the air to saturation or add moisture to the air to saturation.

Conditions: Clear sky and calm wind, colder than -22 F or 30 C, Minimal moisture source.