What type of cloud indicates fair weather

How are clouds formed? All air contains water, but near the ground it is usually in the form of an invisible gas called water vapor. Cumulus clouds are white, puffy clouds that look like pieces of floating cotton. Cumulus clouds are often called "fair-weather clouds". What are wispy clouds called? Cirrus cloud classification symbol: Ci is a genus of atmospheric cloud generally characterized by thin, wispy strands, giving the type its name from the Latin word cirrus, meaning a ringlet or curling lock of hair.

What do you call a rain cloud? Nimbostratus clouds bring continuous precipitation that can last for many hours. These low-level clouds are full of moisture. Cumulonimbus clouds are also called thunderheads. What are flat clouds called? What are clouds called? Thus, the 10 types are: Low-level clouds cumulus, stratus, stratocumulus that lie below 6, feet 1, m Middle clouds altocumulus, nimbostratus, altostratus that form between 6, and 20, feet —6, m High-level clouds cirrus, cirrocumulus, cirrostratus that form above 20, feet 6, m.

Do clouds freeze? Clouds do freeze and fall from the sky. How high can clouds go? Cloud Ceiling Definition Middle clouds form at altitudes of 2, to 4, meters 6, to 13, ft above ground near the poles, 2, to 7, meters 6, to 23, ft at mid-latitudes, and 2, to 2, meters 6, to 25, ft at the tropics. What do the clouds mean? Clouds are large groups of tiny water droplets vapor or ice crystals that cling to pieces of dust in the atmosphere.

Clouds are so important to the earth's weather that meteorologists people who study the weather also study the clouds and their movement. In fact, without clouds, it wouldn't rain or snow! What clouds mean a storm is coming? Cumulonimbus are generally known as thunderstorm clouds. Cirrostratus clouds are thin, white clouds that cover the whole sky like a veil. These clouds are most commonly seen in the winter, and can cause the appearance of a halo around the sun or the moon.

Weather prediction: Rain or snow will arrive within 24 hours! Cirrocumulus clouds are thin, sometimes patchy, sheet-like clouds. Weather prediction: Fair, but cold. However, if you live in a tropical region, these clouds could be a sign of an approaching hurricane!

Altocumulus clouds have several patchy white or gray layers, and seem to be made up of many small rows of fluffy ripples. They are lower than cirrus clouds, but still quite high. Weather prediction: Fair. Altostratus clouds are gray or blue-gray mid-level clouds composed of ice crystals and water droplets.

The clouds usually cover the entire sky. Weather prediction: Be prepared for continuous rain or snow! Nimbostratus clouds are dark, gray clouds that seem to fade into falling rain or snow.

They are so thick that they often blot out the sunlight. Weather prediction: Gloomy with continuous rain or snow. Cumulus clouds look like fluffy, white cotton balls in the sky. They are beautiful in sunsets, and their varying sizes and shapes can make them fun to observe! Stratus cloud often look like thin, white sheets covering the whole sky.

Since they are so thin, they seldom produce much rain or snow. Low-level clouds are not given a prefix, although their names are derived from "strato-" or "cumulo-", depending on their characteristics. Low clouds occur below feet, and normally consist of liquid water droplets or even supercooled droplets, except during cold winter storms when ice crystals and snow comprise much of the clouds. The two main types of low clouds include stratus , which develop horizontally, and cumulus , which develop vertically.

Stratus clouds are uniform and flat, producing a gray layer of cloud cover which may be precipitation-free or may cause periods of light precipitation or drizzle. Low stratus decks are common in winter in the Ohio Valley, especially behind a storm system when cold, dismal, gray weather can linger for several hours or even a day or two.

Stratocumulus NImbostratus. Stratocumulus clouds are hybrids of layered stratus and cellular cumulus, i. Stratocumulus also can be thought of as a layer of cloud clumps with thick and thin areas. These clouds appear frequently in the atmosphere, either ahead of or behind a frontal system. Nimbostratus clouds are generally t hick, dense stratus or stratocumulus clouds producing steady rain or snow. In contrast to layered, horizontal stratus , cumulus clouds are more cellular individual in nature, have flat bottoms and rounded tops, and grow vertically.

In fact, their name depends on the degree of vertical development. For instance, scattered cumulus clouds showing little vertical growth on an otherwise sunny day used to be termed " cumulus humilis " or " fair weather cumulus ," although normally they simply are referred to just as cumulus or flat cumulus.

A cumulus cloud that exhibits significant vertical development but is not yet a thunderstorm is called cumulus congestus or towering cumulus. If enough atmospheric instability, moisture, and lift are present, then strong updrafts can develop in the cumulus cloud leading to a mature, deep cumulonimbus cloud, i.

In addition, cloud electrification occurs within cumulonimbus clouds due to many collisions between charged water droplet, graupel ice-water mix , and ice crystal particles, resulting in lightning and thunder. Cumulus clouds are all capable of producing some serious storms!!! Other interesting clouds:.

Wall Cloud : A localized lowering from the rain-free base of a strong thunderstorm. The lowering denotes a storm's updraft where rapidly rising air causes lower pressure just below the main updraft, which enhances condensation and cloud formation just under the primary cloud base.

Wall clouds take on many shapes and sizes. Some exhibit strong upward motion and cyclonic rotation, leading to tornado formation, while others do not rotate and essentially are harmless. Shelf Cloud : A low, horizontal, sometimes wedge-shaped cloud associated with the leading edge of a thunderstorm?

Although often appearing ominous, shelf clouds normally do not produce tornadoes. Paducah, Ky Winchester, Ky. Fractus : Low, ragged stratiform or cumuliform cloud elements that normally are unattached to larger thunderstorm or cold frontal cloud bases. Also known as scud , fractus clouds can look ominous, but by themselves are not dangerous. Berea, Ky Elkhart, IN. Mammatus : Drooping underside pouch-like appearance of a cumulonimbus cloud in its latter stage of development. Mammatus most often are seen hanging from the anvil of a severe thunderstorm, but do not produce severe weather.

They can accompany non-severe storms as well. Lexington, Ky Jeffersontown, Ky. Contrail : Narrow, elongated cloud formed as jet aircraft exhaust condenses in cold air at high altitudes, indicative of upper level humidity and wind drift. Contrails Contrails in the sky from jets. Fog : Layer of stratus clouds on or near the ground. Different types include radiation fog forms overnight and burns off in the morning and advection fog.