Clouds

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Clouds

• A brief guide on clouds types, cloud observing,
  and time.

2
Have you ever looked at clouds and wondered if
they had names?

• Luke Howard did over 200 years ago.
• He decided that clouds could be classified into
  three main categories.
• He used Latin to name the clouds.

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Three main cloud types

• Cirrus (Latin for Curl)
• means hair and describes wispy looking clouds.
  This term is also used to describe high level
  clouds

• Cumulus (Latin for heap)
• means pile and describes heaped, lumpy clouds

• Stratus (Latin for layer)
• means layer and describes clouds that form in
  sheets and do not have any unique features

http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
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(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
5
Youve learned the basic types of cloudslets
get go on to deluxe clouds.

• Nimbus (Latin for Rain)
• use this term only when a cloud actually produces
  precipitation

• Alto
• describes mid-level clouds

Pictures from http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
6
Lets combine names.

• Cirrocumulus
• Can best be described as a high cloud that
  resembles fish scales

http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
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(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Cirrocumulus (Fish Scale)
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
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Lets combine names.

• Stratocumulus
• Best described as a cloud accident or puffy
  bottoms

http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
9
(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Cirrocumulus (Fish Scale)
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
Stratocumulus (Puffy bottoms, cloud accident)
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Lets combine names.

• Nimbostratus
• Looks like a stratus cloud but it is producing
  precipitation

http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
11
(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Cirrocumulus (Fish Scale)
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
Stratocumulus (Puffy bottoms, cloud accident)
Nimbostratus (low blanket with lots of rain)
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Lets combine names.

• Altocumulus
• Mid-level cloud
• Described as flocks of sheep or streets of clouds

• Altostratus
• Mid-level cloud
• Light gray layer
• Light behind the clouds

Pictures from http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
13
(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Cirrocumulus (Fish Scale)
Altostratus (Light grey, light behind clouds)
Altocumulus (Streets of clouds, flock of
sheep)
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
Stratocumulus (Puffy bottoms, cloud accident)
Nimbostratus (low blanket with lots of rain)
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Lets combine names.

• Cirrostratus
• High-level cloud
• Thin veil of clouds
• Produces a sun or moon halo

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(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Cirrocumulus (Fish Scale)
Cirrostratus (Thin, veil,sun/moon halo)
Altostratus (Light grey, light behind clouds)
Altocumulus (Streets of clouds, flock of sheep)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Stratocumulus (Puffy bottoms, cloud accident)
Nimbostratus (low blanket with lots of rain)
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Lets combine names.

• Cumulonimbus
• Thunderclouds
• Storm makers
• Produce lightening and thunder

http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
17
(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Cirrocumulus (Fish Scale)
Cirrostratus (Thin, veil,sun/moon halo)
Altostratus (Light grey, light behind clouds)
Altocumulus (Streets of clouds, flock of sheep)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Stratocumulus (Puffy bottoms, cloud accident)
Nimbostratus (low blanket with lots of rain)
Cumulonimbus (Thunderstorm clouds)
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Man-made clouds

• Contrails
• Short for condensation trails.
• Made by airplanes
• 3 types

• Short lived

• Persistent

• Persistent
• Spreading

Pictures from http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
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(Wispy, Horse tail) Cirrus
Cirrostratus (Thin, veil,sun/moon halo)
Cirrocumulus (Fish Scale)
Altocumulus (Streets of clouds, flock of sheep)
Altostratus (Light grey, light behind clouds)
Stratus (Layered, Flat)
Cumulus (Cotton Ball)
Stratocumulus (Puffy bottoms, cloud accident)
Nimbostratus (low blanket with lots of rain)
Cumulonimbus (Thunderstorm clouds)
Contrails Short-lived Persistent Persistent
Spreading
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Cloud Cover
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
Imagine this picture represents a certain
number of clouds in the sky !
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
100
http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
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Now Guess!
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10
How Many ?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Be ready with an answer in 5 seconds !
http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
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What is your answer ?
Write your guess down your white board and hold
it up high.
Print Large !
http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
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LETS OBSERVE!
Lets make an observation on what we see on this
beautiful day!
What cloud types are present?
Whats the percentage of cloud cover?
How much light penetrates the clouds?
http//asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/
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Time Terms

• Local Standard Time
• The time established for a region by law, or
  general use - it's the time you see on a
  correctly set clock, if you're not in daylight
  savings time (summer)

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Time Terms

• 24 hour Time or Military Time
• In military time, the hours are numbered from 00
  to 23.
• Under this system, midnight is 00, 1 a.m. is 01,
  1 p.m. is 13, and so on.
• Try it 230 pm
• An event occurs on Wednesday at 0001 PST. This
  translates to one minute past midnight PST on
  Wednesday morning.
• 611 a.m. is the same as 0611 (or 0611) military
  time.
• 131742 military time is the same as forty-two
  seconds past 117 in the afternoon.

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Time Terms

• Universal Time or What time is it in Greenwich,
  England
• Standard time at longitude 0 (the longitude
  line which goes through Greenwich, England) which
  is used as a standard around the world to assist
  in synchronizing data collection.

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Time Terms

• Universal Time Offset and Conversion
• Current Universal Time (UT) 2104
• Write down current local time ___h ___m
• 2. Add 7 hours (We are 7 hours behind UT)
  ____h ____ m
• 3. Convert to 24 hour clock ___h ___m