All About Clouds
By Noah Hattori
So what is a cloud?
A cloud is a mass of suspended water drops or ice crystals. They are formed by the sun heating up the Earth, which causes water to evaporate. Then, when the water droplets cool as they get higher in the troposphere, they condensate, forming clouds. When the cloud gets to much water in them, the drops fall in the form of precipitation.
The 3 Main Types of Clouds
Stratus
Stratus clouds are the grayish clouds that are close to the ground, but doesn't touch it. Sometimes they can bring precipitation like a light rain of drizzle.
Cumulus
Cumulus clouds are the white puffy clouds that come with good weather. Their base is flat and their tops have rounded towers. They are relatively low clouds, just like the stratus.
Cirrus
Cirrus clouds are the wispy clouds high up in the air. As they are high in the troposphere, they no longer made out of water drops but ice crystals instead. The word cirrus originated from Latin, meaning "curl" or "tuft".
Other Types of Clouds
Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus means "cumulus" and "rain". Cumulonimbus clouds have flat anvil shaped tops, reaching 15-22 kilometers at most. Their shape is formed by strong winds in the stratosphere, also known as jet streams. They may bring tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hail.
Nimbostratus
A stratus cloud that looks wet and is a darker gray than regular stratus clouds. This cloud is associated with continuously falling light or moderate precipitation.
Altostratus
Stratus clouds that are at 2-7 kilometers in the atmosphere. It has all the same characteristics of the regular stratus clouds.
Cirrostratus
Stratus clouds that are 7+ kilometers in the atmosphere. Just like the altostratus clouds, it has the same qualities of the regular stratus clouds.
Altocumulus
Altocumulus clouds are cumulus clouds that are 2-7 kilometers, in the atmosphere. It has the same characteristics as the regular cumulus clouds.
Cirrocumulus
Cirrocumulus clouds are cumulus clouds 7+ kilometers in the atmosphere. Like the altocumulus, it has all the same characteristics as the cumulus clouds.