Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic...
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Transcript of Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic...
![Page 1: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Lecture 9 (11/04)METR 1111
Cloud Types
![Page 2: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Cloud Classification
• In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification
• Still used today
• Based on Latin names
• Two parts to a cloud’s name:
- Shape (ex: cirrus, stratus, cumulus)
- Height (cloud base & vertical extent)
![Page 3: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Shapes & Heights
• Shapes
- Cirrus = curly and wispy
- Stratus = layered or stratified
- Cumulus = lumpy or piled up• Heights
- Cirro = high (bases above 20,000 ft)
- Alto = mid level (bases 7,000-20,000 ft)
- Nimbo = producing precipitation
![Page 4: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
What do clouds tell us?
• Clouds just don’t happen - there’s always a reason
• A particular cloud’s shape and location depend on (and can therefore tell us about):
- the movement of the air
- amount of water vapor in air
- stability (flat clouds = stable air while puffy clouds = unstable air)
![Page 5: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Cirrus Clouds
• Cirrus = high altitude wispy clouds
• Quite thin and often have a hairlike or filament type of appearance.
• Made up of ice particles
• The curled up ends (called mares’ tales) as depicted in the following picture are very common features.
![Page 6: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Cirrus Photo
![Page 7: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Stratus Clouds
• Stratus clouds are usually the lowest of the low clouds.
• Often appear as an overcast deck (as shown in next slide), but can be scattered.
• The individual cloud elements have very ill-defined edges compared to cumulus
• Fog is just stratus clouds on the surface
![Page 8: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Stratus Photo
![Page 9: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Fog (Stratus on Ground) Photo
![Page 10: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Cumulus Clouds
• Cumulus clouds are puffy (like popcorn)• Often have noticeable vertical development• Cells can be rather isolated or they can be
grouped together in clusters as shown• The base of a cumulus cloud can look like a
stratus cloud if it is overhead. • Thick cumulus can make skies dark (filters
out sun’s rays)
![Page 11: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Combining Shapes & Heights
• Many different names of clouds combine:
- a height (cirro-, alto-, nimbo)
- a shape (cirrus, stratus, cumulus)
• Let’s look at examples of these word combinations to describe different cloud types.
![Page 12: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Cirrocumulus
• high cumulus clouds
• Can see individual “puffy” features
![Page 13: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Cirrostratus• High-level stratus clouds
• Not as thin as cirrus and less defined than cumulus
![Page 14: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Altocumulus• Mid level cumulus clouds
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Altostratus• Mid level stratus clouds
![Page 16: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Stratocumulus• Cross between stratus and cumulus
![Page 17: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Nimbostratus
• Stratus clouds that are precipitating
![Page 18: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Cumulonimbus• Cumulus cloud with precipitation
![Page 19: Lecture 9 (11/04) METR 1111 Cloud Types. Cloud Classification In 1803, Luke Howard devised the basic system of cloud classification Still used today Based.](https://reader035.fdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022062322/5697c02a1a28abf838cd8116/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Orographic Clouds
• Clouds can also be caused by mountains or hills
• Result to air flowing up and over mountains which causes condensation to occur and clouds to form
• Different types of clouds caused by orographic lift follow
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Cap Clouds• Air containing water vapor lifted until it is
saturated, producing liquid water cloud droplets which can "cap" the summit. (cap cloud over Mt. Ranier)
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Lenticular Clouds• Lenticular means “like a lens”
• Looks like flying saucers
• Forms from air rising up a mountain
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Kelvin-Helmholtz Billows• Occurs in regions of strong density and
velocity changes. (dynamics class)
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Contrails• Contrail is short for “condensation trails”
• Formed from vapor contained in the exhaust of a jet engine when it condenses in cold air aloft
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A good web page to visit
• A great website for clouds (where I got most of the lecture material) is:
• http://vortex.plymouth.edu/cloud.html
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Announcements
• Read Chapter 11 - How to Predict the Weather (pages 181 – 196)
• Complete Homework 9 about cloud types• Only 4 more lectures!!! (So you can start
getting ready to burn your books!)• If you have a question during the quiz or on
the homework, you can ask me a question. I can’t help if you leave the answer blank.