Intro to Meteorology Week 4 Essay

Clouds to form in the atmosphere have to have water vapor present. This water vapor makes up a cloud. The water vapor in the atmosphere comes from evaporation or deposition. Also the temperature of the air is below the dew point. When the water is fully saturated, it starts to rise and the expansional cooling process begins. During the process of condensation, the aerosol particles act like a nuclei in the atmosphere, which began to grow, creating ice crystals that are big enough to produce a cloud.

Condensation is the opposite of Evaporation. It is when saturated air cools down below the dew point which causes them molecules to stick together and from clouds. When we see clouds they don’t all look the same. This goes back to when the temperature causes the amount of water to evaporate. So that’s why clouds are all different shapes and sizes.

G. Cumulus – The base of these clouds are typically dark and horizontal with the tops being sunlit and brilliant white. Clouds are dense with sharp outlines developing vertically in the form of rising mounds, domes, or towers with bulging

According to NASA clouds are made of water or ice crystals floating in the sky, not gas (add reference). A scientific explanation of how clouds are form is that water vapour evaporates from the earth into the atmosphere than condenses on the earth. There are many different reasons as to why clouds are formed. Some other ways include when dust, smoke or other particles are suspended into the air or when water vapour condenses into particles into the air (Skamp & Preston, 2007, p.

Whatever the lifting mechanism, as the bubble rises to higher altitudes where the climate pressure drops, the air inside the bubble expands and cools adiabatically. Moisture precipitates out and the latent heat released warms the bubble. Should this lifting and latent heating make the bubble buoyant, it accelerates upward while cooler air rushing in below drives further convection. Such resilient carries air upward at speeds that can hit 30 mph or more. Several kilometers above, if not before, the temperature inversion in the stratosphere above kills the updraft and the top of the cloud spreads out into an “anvil.” As cloud droplets consolidate into raindrops, they begin to fall. The cloud now has a downdraft of less buoyant cool air and rain.. This forms the second, mature “cumulonimbus” stage of the storm. When the downdraft hits the ground and spreads out, the observer on the surface below feels the cool “gust front.” Should the gust front be adequately strong, it lifts some of the warm moist surface air it encounters, possibly creating a new thunderstorm. Back in the collapsing storm, if little horizontal wind exists above, the storm stands upright at altitude so that the rain falls through the updraft. Some of the drops are carried
overhead again to freeze, perhaps looping down and up repeatedly,
on each trip upward acquiring a coating of super cooled water which immediately solidifies, growing large hailstones. When a

Cumulus clouds are the lovely, puffy ones that are good for finding shapes in. These clouds occur in many varieties of atmospheric conditions. Fair weather cumulus is called cumulus humilis or cumulus fractus (smaller and scattered). As a cumulus cloud continues to grow upwards, it creates cumulus congestus (towering cumulus), and can create rain showers. Dense and well defined, this low-level cloud (2000-3000ft) is such a familiar feature of sunny afternoons that it’s referred to as the fair- weather cloud. Cumulus cloud likes a giant ice cream, sitting on an invisible cone of rising

Precipitation is a vital component of how water transfers through earth’s water cycle connecting the ocean, land and atmosphere. Knowing where it rains and how much it rains and the character of the falling rain, snow rain or hail allows scientists to better understand precipitations impact on

Outside of my resident the sky is covered with mid-level gray clouds that form during the months of June, July and August. In addition to this, these types of cloud called Nimbostratus forms with separate large dense layers of scattered showers or freezing precipitation and they sink into the bottom of the atmosphere while covering the entire sky with darkness. The Weather Facts article (p., 4) believes, Nimbostratus rise into the planet’s upper atmosphere when warm fronts and depressions develop in damp skies, Weather Facts: Nimbostratus (n.d.).Their base also forms 6,500 feet below the planet’s atmosphere and when they are present in the sky other planets are difficult to spot.Nimbostratus clouds are classified with similar clouds that

The trip I did was a virtual field trip, and I did it on the Sterling Weather Center. I choose to do my research on the Sterling Weather Center because I have always been interested in weather and the different technology and devices they use to predict it. I learned that meteorologist have many precise steps they have to take to get the most accurate weather that they are able to get. I also realized that without meteorologist and broadcasters our world would be so different than it is now because we wouldn’t know what to expect the next day or couple days. Weather impacts our daily lives we just revere think about it that way, if we didn’t have weather centers we wouldn’t know if its going to rain or snow.

Weather Satellites are to help meteorologists predict the weather and weather satellites take photos from space and they send them down to earth so we know what the weather is going to be like.

"Halo around the sun or moon, rain or snow is coming soon." Using optics to bend light, cirrostratus clouds cause a halo to form around the sun or moon. These clouds are often followed by stratoform rain within 48 hours.

Cumulonimbus clouds are puffy towering clouds that create thunderstorms, Cumulonimbus clouds are formed by water vapor that air currents carry upwards. These clouds create lightning and tornadoes. When Cumulonimbus clouds get stronger it can result in a supercell, which are rotating thunderstorms - severe storms can cause lots of damage.Cumulonimbus clouds are called D2 clouds which means they are vertical.

The forecasting of weather conditions was based solely on perceptions of the sky. The sky is assuredly the first indicator used in meteorology. The sky’s cover and nature of clouds gives clues of the upcoming temperature and weather. It is alluded to in the book of Matthew where Jesus says to the religious leaders of the first century, “You are able to interpret the appearance of the sky but the sign of the times you cannot interpret” (Potter). The skill of weather forecasting started with early civilizations using relapsing astronomical and meteorological events to help them monitor seasonal changes in the weather. These assumptions led to the curiosity of ancient philosophers’ short-term weather prophecies.

The formation of a cloud happens when air is at its dew point. Air gets to its dew point simply by cooling. Air moves vertically, and this veridical movement can encourage clouds to form (Bell 112-113). Clouds constantly need to stay moist, so when the air around them gets dry, they evaporate faster; unless it gets moist again, then they evaporate slower again (Cosgrove 24). Clouds are not just made out of water vapors: they are also made up of nuclei, which are just little pieces of dirt (Cantrell 38).

The Weather Channel now has access to the Navy’s sophisticated technology in order to assist in predicting and presenting the weather. Also, in January 2002, The Weather Channel became the weather forecaster for USA Today’s domestic and international issues as well as for USA Today.com. The two companies shared the weather coverage for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.