The most unusual types of clouds. Types of clouds and their names Cloudy clouds
Another foray into our favorite global network puzzled me. The more I read, the more I understand how interesting the simplest and most banal things can be.
Take the clouds, for example. Who didn’t dream of riding them as a child? We believed it was possible. After all, they are probably soft and pleasant to the touch.
Later, while studying physics, each of us was disappointed when we learned the nature of clouds. It turned out that clouds are not soft, fluffy and pleasant. These are water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere. They are also often called cloud elements. What does it have to do with it, it turns out? different temperatures cloud composition may vary. Clouds consist of water droplets if the air temperature exceeds?10 °C. These are ordinary rain clouds. If it is lower than that, but higher than 15 °C, then the clouds include both droplets and small crystals. By the way, these are the clouds that send us sleet or sleet. When the temperature in the cloud is below?15 °C, the cloud consists entirely of crystals, which turn into snowflakes.
However, the crystals and droplets in the cloud are very small. Where do the huge flakes of snow and large drops come from? spring rain? Everything is quite simple. Gradually the number of elements in the cloud increases. The elements merge with each other, forming droplets and snowflakes. The clouds increase and when they reach a critical mass, precipitation begins to fall.
Precipitation usually does not fall from homogeneous clouds, but from those that have a mixed composition of at least one layer. These are, for example, cumulonimbus, nimbostratus, and altostratus. Although light precipitation in the form of drizzle or light fine snow can also fall from homogeneous clouds, for example, from stratus clouds.
Most often, clouds form and are observed in the lower layer of the atmosphere, called the troposphere. Less commonly, clouds are observed at an altitude of 20-25 kilometers. Such clouds received a special name - mother-of-pearl clouds. Very rarely clouds climb to a height of 70-80 kilometers. They also have their own name - silver.
Despite the huge number of various bizarre forms of clouds in the traposphere, classifying them is quite simple. Even in appearance.
Cirrus clouds (Cirrus, Ci).
In appearance, these are perhaps the lightest and most fragile clouds. They consist of thin white threads or shreds. Such clouds always have the shape of elongated ridges. These are perhaps the highest altitude trapospheric clouds. Usually seen in upper layers traposphere (from 3 to 18 km above the earth, depending on latitude). These clouds are notable for the fact that they can have a fairly large vertical extent (from hundreds of meters to several kilometers). Visibility inside the clouds is not very high: only 150-500 meters. The reason for this is that such clouds consist of fairly large ice crystals. Because of this, they have a noticeable fall rate. However, due to the wind, we see not vertical stripes, but shifted and bizarrely curved filaments of cirrus clouds.
Interestingly, such clouds often move ahead of a warm air mass. They also often accompany anticyclones. And sometimes they are even banal remnants of cumulonimbus clouds.
It is very interesting that the appearance of such clouds may indicate an upcoming strong pouring rain in about a day.
Cirrus clouds are also divided into several subspecies.
Cirrocumulus (Cirrocumulus, Cc).
These clouds are located as high as the previous view. We will never see precipitation from such clouds. It is interesting that when such clouds appear, one can safely say that in a few hours a thunderstorm with showers is possible. And sometimes there is a storm.
Such clouds are nicknamed “lamb” for their intricate shapes in the form of small groups or rows of balls. Very often observed with cirrostratus and cirrus.
The height of the lower border is slightly higher than that of the previous view. It extends approximately 6-8 kilometers from the earth. The vertical length reaches a kilometer. However, visibility inside is much higher than cirrus clouds - from 5.5 to 10 kilometers.
In such clouds there is a very interesting phenomenon– iridization. It lies in the fact that the edges of the clouds acquire a rainbow color, which in itself is very beautiful.
Cirrostratus clouds (Cirrostratus, Cs).
These clouds are made of ice crystals. They are very easy to recognize: they represent a uniform whitish veil covering the sky. They usually appear almost immediately after their feathery counterparts. Although their height is the same as that of previous species, vertically they are much longer than their counterparts. Their length ranges from 2 to 6 kilometers. Visibility inside the cloud is very low: from 50 to 200 meters. Like the previous two types, the appearance of such clouds promises a quick change in the weather. They are followed by rain and thunderstorms. Why, you ask? It's simple. All of the above types of clouds move ahead of a warm air mass that contains a lot of moisture. And she, in turn, is the source of rain.
Despite the fact that the clouds cover the sky with a veil, the light of the Sun and Moon can pass through them. In this case, the rays are often distorted and such an interesting phenomenon as a halo is formed. It is a luminous ring around the Sun or Moon. But, unfortunately, this beautiful phenomenon is very short-lived, since the clouds very quickly begin to thicken.
An interesting fact is that the halo circle was popularly an omen of imminent rain. People believed that it was the Moon or the Sun that washed itself. And after the water procedures, the luminaries, according to legend, poured soda onto the ground.
Altostratus clouds (Altostratus, As).
Outwardly, they appear as a gloomy grayish or blue-gray veil, through which the sun sometimes peeks through, albeit in the form of a shapeless blurry spot.
These clouds live, so to speak, lower than their counterparts already discussed, at approximately 3-5 kilometers above sea level. But they are also quite long vertically - from 1 to 4 kilometers. Visibility in them is very low - 25-40 meters. The composition of these clouds is heterogeneous. It contains both crystals and droplets of water, albeit supercooled.
Unlike all of the above types, precipitation always falls from these clouds in the form of rain or snow at any time of the year. Interestingly, rain from such clouds does not reach the ground, but evaporates during the flight.
These clouds are followed by the appearance of their rain stratus counterparts.
Altocumulus clouds (Altocumulus, Ac).
These clouds are harbingers of imminent showers. They have the shape of small balls or sheets, which are arranged in rows or collected in separate groups. Their colors are very different: from white to blue. Their length is small - only a few hundred meters. Apparently the visibility is also rather weak: only 50-70 meters. They are located in the middle layers of the stratosphere, approximately 2 to 6 kilometers above the earth. In addition to rain, such clouds bring with them cold temperatures.
Nimbostratus clouds (Nimbostratus, Ns).
These are gloomy dark gray clouds that are a continuous layer. It seems that there is no end to it. Everywhere there is a cloudy sky from which rain is constantly pouring. This goes on for quite some time.
They are much darker than their layered counterparts. Unlike all the clouds described above, these are located in the lower layers of the stratosphere. They hover almost above the ground at a distance of 100 meters, although their thickness can be up to several kilometers.
The movements of these clouds are accompanied by strong and cold wind, the temperature drops.
Stratus clouds (Stratus, St).
This type of cloud is very similar to fog. They are located very low above the ground. The lower limit does not exceed hundreds of meters. Sometimes, when clouds fly very low, they can merge with ordinary fog.
Their maximum thickness is hundreds of meters. These clouds don't always bring rain. As soon as they thicken and become stronger, they will shed precious moisture onto the ground. In this case, the rain will not be very heavy and much shorter than the rain of nimbostratus clouds.
Stratocumulus clouds (Stratocumulus, Sc).
Such clouds do not always bring precipitation with them. They are formed when cold air replaces warm air. In this case, moisture is not released, but rather absorbed. And there is no rain. They are predominantly gray in color and are presented in the form of large waves and ridges, between which there are small gaps. They have an average width of 200-800 meters.
Cumulus clouds (Cumulus, Cu).
They are sometimes called good weather harbingers. This is the type of cloud we see most often. White, bright, in the form of all kinds of figures, they amaze and develop our imagination. They have the shape of a dome with a flat base or towers with rounded outlines. It is noteworthy that they are very wide - up to 5 kilometers or more.
Cumulonimbus clouds (Cumulonimbus, Cu).
These are very powerful clouds. Sometimes their width reaches 14 kilometers. These are clouds of thunderstorms, showers, hail and heavy winds. The word most often used for these clouds is “clouds.” Sometimes they line up in what is called a squall line. Interestingly, cloud composition varies depending on altitude. If the lower layers consist mainly of water droplets, then the upper ones consist of ice crystals. They develop from powerful cumulus clouds, and their appearance does not bode well.
By the way, clouds exist not only on our planet. It turns out that wherever there is a gas shell, there are clouds. But they do not consist of water, but, for example, of sulfuric acid.
Here's a video showing the different clouds: (amazingly beautiful!)
Well, that’s probably all I wanted to write about these white-maned horses this time.
Light, fluffy and airy clouds - they float above our heads every day and make us raise our heads up and admire the bizarre shapes and original figures. Sometimes it breaks through amazing view a rainbow, and sometimes in the morning or evening during sunset or sunrise the clouds are illuminated by the sun's rays, giving them an incredible, spirit-enchanting hue. Scientists have been studying air clouds and other types of clouds for a long time. They gave answers to the questions of what kind of phenomenon this is and what types of clouds there are.
In fact, it is not so easy to give an explanation. Because they consist of ordinary droplets of water, which were lifted up from the surface of the Earth warm air. The most a large number of water vapor is formed over the oceans (at least 400 thousand cubic kilometers of water evaporate here in one year), on land - four times less.
And since in the upper layers of the atmosphere it is much colder than below, the air there cools down quite quickly, the steam condenses, forming tiny particles of water and ice, as a result of which white clouds appear. It can be argued that each cloud is a kind of moisture generator through which water passes.
Water in the cloud is in gaseous, liquid and solid states. The water in the cloud and the presence of ice particles in them affect the appearance of the clouds, its formation, as well as the nature of precipitation. It is the type of cloud that determines the water in the cloud; for example, in shower clouds there is greatest number water, and for nimbostratus this figure is 3 times less. Water in a cloud is also characterized by the amount that is stored in them - the cloud's water reserve (water or ice contained in a cloud column).
But everything is not so simple, because in order for a cloud to form, droplets need condensation grains - tiny particles of dust, smoke or salt (if we are talking about the sea), to which they must stick and around which they must form. This means that even if the air composition is completely supersaturated with water vapor, without dust it will not be able to turn into a cloud.
What exact shape the droplets (water) will take depends primarily on temperature indicators in the upper layers of the atmosphere:
- if the atmospheric air temperature exceeds -10°C, white clouds will consist of water droplets;
- if the temperature of the atmosphere begins to fluctuate between -10°C and -15°C, then the composition of the clouds will be mixed (drip + crystalline);
- if the temperature in the atmosphere is below -15°C, the white clouds will contain ice crystals.
After appropriate transformations, it turns out that 1 cm3 of cloud contains about 200 drops, and their radius will be from 1 to 50 μm (average values are from 1 to 10 μm).
Cloud classification
Everyone has probably wondered what types of clouds are there? Typically, cloud formation occurs in the troposphere, the upper limit of which in polar latitudes is 10 km away, in temperate latitudes - 12 km, in tropical latitudes - 18 km. Other species can often be observed. For example, pearlescent ones are usually located at an altitude of 20 to 25 km, and silver ones - from 70 to 80 km.
Basically, we have the opportunity to observe tropospheric clouds, which are divided into the following types of clouds: upper, middle and lower tiers, as well as vertical development. Almost all of them (except for the last type) appear when moist, warm air rises to the top.
If the air masses of the troposphere are in a calm state, cirrus, stratus clouds (cirostratus, altostratus and nimbostratus) are formed and if the air in the troposphere moves in waves, cumulus clouds appear (cirocumulus, altocumulus and stratocumulus).
Upper clouds
We are talking about cirrus, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus clouds. Sky clouds look like feathers, waves or a veil. All of them are translucent and more or less freely transmit the sun's rays. They can be either extremely thin or quite dense (cirrostratus), which means it is harder for light to get through them. Cloud weather signals the approach of a heat front.
Cirrus clouds can also occur above the clouds. They are arranged in stripes that cross the vault of heaven. In the atmosphere they are located above the clouds. As a rule, sediment does not fall out of them.
In middle latitudes, white upper-level clouds are usually located at an altitude of 6 to 13 km, in tropical latitudes they are located much higher (18 km). In this case, the thickness of the clouds can range from several hundred meters to hundreds of kilometers, which can be located above the clouds.
The movement of upper-tier clouds across the sky primarily depends on wind speed, so it can vary from 10 to 200 km/h. The sky of the clouds consists of small ice crystals, but the weather of the clouds does not provide practical precipitation (and if it does, then measure them at this moment there is no possibility).
Mid-level clouds (from 2 to 6 km)
These are cumulus clouds and stratus clouds. In temperate and polar latitudes they are located at a distance of 2 to 7 km above the Earth; in tropical latitudes they can rise a little higher - up to 8 km. All of them have a mixed structure and consist of water droplets mixed with ice crystals. Since the height is small, in the warm season they mainly consist of water droplets, in the cold season - of ice droplets. True, precipitation from them does not reach the surface of our planet - it evaporates on the way.
Cumulus clouds are slightly transparent and are located above the clouds. The color of the clouds is white or gray shades, darkened in places, looking like layers or parallel rows of rounded masses, shafts or huge flakes. Hazy or wavy stratus clouds are a veil that gradually obscures the skies.
They are mainly formed when cold front displaces the warm one to the top. And, although precipitation does not reach the ground, the appearance of middle-tier clouds almost always (except, perhaps, tower-shaped ones) signals a change in weather in the worst side(for example, to a thunderstorm or snowfall). This happens due to the fact that cold air itself is much heavier than warm air and moving along the surface of our planet, it very quickly displaces heated air masses upward - therefore, because of this, with a sharp vertical rise of warm air, white clouds of the middle tier are formed first, and then the rain clouds, the sky of which carries thunder and lightning.
Low clouds (up to 2 km)
Stratus clouds, nimbus clouds, and cumulus clouds contain water droplets that freeze into snow and ice particles during the cold season. They are located quite low - at a distance of 0.05 to 2 km and are a dense, uniform low-overhanging cover, rarely located above clouds (other types). The color of the clouds is gray. Stratus clouds look like large shafts. Cloudy weather is often accompanied by precipitation (light rain, snow, fog).
Clouds of vertical development (conventions)
Cumulus clouds themselves are quite dense. The shape is a bit like a dome or tower with rounded outlines. Cumulus clouds can become torn in gusty winds. They are located at a distance of 800 meters from earth's surface and higher, thickness ranges from 1 to 5 km. Some of them are capable of transforming into cumulonimbus clouds and are located above the clouds.
Cumulonimbus clouds can be found at fairly high altitudes (up to 14 km). Their lower levels contain water, the upper levels contain ice crystals. Their appearance is always accompanied by showers, thunderstorms, and in some cases, hail.
Cumulus and cumulonimbus, unlike other clouds, are formed only with a very rapid vertical rise of moist air:
- Moist warm air rises extremely intensely.
- At the top, droplets of water freeze, top part the clouds become heavier, descend and stretch towards the wind.
- A quarter of an hour later a thunderstorm begins.
Upper atmosphere clouds
Sometimes in the sky you can observe clouds that are located in the upper layers of the atmosphere. For example, at an altitude of 20 to 30 km, pearlescent sky clouds form, which consist mainly of ice crystals. And before sunset or sunrise, you can often see silvery clouds, which are located in the upper layers of the atmosphere, at a distance of about 80 km (interestingly, these celestial clouds were discovered only in the 19th century).
Clouds in this category can be located above the clouds. For example, a cap cloud is a small, horizontal and highly stratus cloud that is often located above clouds, namely cumulonimbus and cumulus. This type clouds can form above ash clouds or fire clouds during volcanic eruptions.
How long do clouds live?
The life of clouds directly depends on the humidity of the air in the atmosphere. If there is little of it, they evaporate quite quickly (for example, there are white clouds that last no more than 10-15 minutes). If there is a lot, they can last for quite a long time, wait for certain conditions to form, and fall to Earth in the form of precipitation.
No matter how long a cloud lives, it is never in an unchanged state. The particles that make it up constantly evaporate and reappear. Even if outwardly the cloud does not change its height, in fact it is in constant motion, since the drops in it descend, move into the air under the cloud and evaporate.
Cloud at home
White clouds are fairly easy to make at home. For example, one Dutch artist learned to create it in his apartment. To do this, at a certain temperature, level of humidity and lighting, he released a little steam from a smoke machine. The cloud that turns out is able to last for several minutes, which will be quite enough to photograph an amazing phenomenon.
Scientists, naturalists and dreamers love to study clouds and just watch them. When you see one or another celestial phenomenon, there is a desire to call it “big, heavy or rainy,” but it would be much more interesting (and more useful) to use scientific terminology for a more specific description.
For the first time, the English scientist Luke Howard began to classify air halos (nimbus - cloud in Latin), and the main criteria he used were the height of the tier, the shape and, in fact, the weather that created them.
The types of clouds are very diverse and are an interesting “collectible” and just for observation. Knowledge of celestial changes can be a great topic of conversation at a social dinner or a simple party.
Among other things, all the nuances regarding weather changes are extremely necessary for people involved in extreme sports such as boating or rock climbing. Types of clouds, reading and analyzing them will help you avoid serious danger and learn about changes climatic conditions without additional metrological tools.
- The height of the nimbus will tell you about an approaching storm.
- Form is about the stability of the atmosphere.
- Together, these factors will warn of critical changes in the weather (hail, snow or rain).
Despite the enormous variety and types of clouds, it is not so difficult to classify them, even by appearance.
Spindrift clouds
In appearance, they resemble fragile threads or scraps. The shape of cirrus clouds is similar to elongated ridges. It is one of the highest air connections in the troposphere, ranging from approximately 5 to 20 km above sea level depending on latitude.
Cirrus anomalies are notable for the fact that they can stretch for several hundred kilometers. Visibility inside the cloud is very low and ranges from 200-300 meters. This is due to the fact that the nimbus consists of large ice crystals that fall quickly.
Due to the gusty wind, we see not clear vertical stripes, but filaments of cirrus clouds curved in a bizarre way.
Such changes indicate an approaching heavy rain or anticyclone in about a day.
Cirrocumulus clouds
Just like the previous type, cirrocumulus anomalies are located in the upper layers of the troposphere. They never produce precipitation, but it can be clearly said that these types of clouds are harbingers of thunderstorms and heavy downpours, and sometimes even storms.
These nimbuses are often called “lamb” for their bizarre shape in the form of groups of balls and circles. The height of the base of the clouds is slightly lower than simple cirrus and ranges from 5-9 km with a vertical extent of about a kilometer. Visibility, unlike the previous view, is much better - from 5 to 10 kilometers.
An interesting feature of cirrocumulus species is iridescence, when the edges are painted in a rainbow color, which looks very impressive and beautiful.
Cirrostratus clouds
This type of nimbus consists almost entirely of ice crystals and is quite easy to recognize. It looks like a homogeneous film covering the sky. It appears after the above-described types of clouds have “gone away”. In winter, their length can vary up to 6 km, and in summer time- from 2 to 4 km.
Visibility inside the anomaly itself is extremely low: from about 30 to 150 meters. As with previous types, cirrostratus flows promise a quick change in weather in the form of rain and thunderstorm fronts.
What types of clouds precede rain? All feathery nimbuses always move ahead of warm ones air masses, where there is very high humidity, which is the source of rain and downpours. Therefore, we can say that all feathery compounds are harbingers of bad weather.
Even though the anomalies absorb sunlight and moonlight, very colorful phenomena (halos) can sometimes occur and appear rare species clouds in the form of luminous and iridescent rings around the light of the moon or sun.
Altostratus clouds
In appearance, they resemble a gloomy gray veil, through which only occasionally one can see sunlight. High-layered compounds are located at an altitude of no more than 5 km above sea level and have a vertical length of up to 4 km.
Visibility in such a cloud is very low - 20-30 meters. They consist of ice crystals and supercooled water. These anomalies may receive a little rain or snow, but in the summer the rain simply does not reach the ground, so we mistakenly consider them not rainy.
Altocumulus clouds
These conjunctions could be the start of rapid rain showers. In their shape, they resemble small balls that gather in separate groups. The color range is very diverse: from white to dark of blue color. Very often you can see bizarre shapes: a cloud in the shape of a heart, an animal, a flower and other interesting things.
The extent of altocumulus clouds is small and rarely reaches a kilometer. Visibility, as in layered compounds, is low - 50-70 meters. They are located in the middle layers of the stratosphere and are 4-5 km away from the earth. In addition to rain fronts, they may bring with them colder temperatures.
Nimbostratus clouds
These are types of thunderclouds that are dark gray in color and have a very “gloomy” character. They represent a continuous cloudy veil, with no end or edge in sight, with constant rain. This can continue for a very long time.
They are much darker than all other layered compounds and are located in the lower part of the stratosphere, so they hover almost above the ground (100-300 meters). Their thickness reaches several kilometers and the entire process of the passage of the front is accompanied by a cold wind and low temperature.
Cumulonimbus clouds
These are the most powerful nimbuses that nature gave us. They can reach 14 km in width. The appearance of a cumulonimbus cloud is a thunderstorm, rain, hail and gusty wind. It is these anomalies that are called “clouds”.
Sometimes they can line up in a whole series of squall fronts. The composition of cumulonimbus compounds varies and depends on altitude. The bottom layer consists mainly of water droplets, and the top layer consists of ice crystals. This type of halos develops from their nimbostratus counterparts and their appearance cannot bode well.
The types of precipitation falling from clouds can be very diverse: showers, snow, cereals, ice and needles, so it is better to wait out the bad weather under a roof or in any other shelter.
Fog
Fog also applies to low-lying compounds. It's thick and wet, and when you walk through the foggy cloud, you can feel its heaviness. Fog may appear in areas of large water accumulation with low winds.
Very often it appears on the surface of lakes and rivers, but if the wind rises, the fog very quickly dissipates without a trace.
Dreamers, scientists, naturalists and you love to look at clouds and also observe them. While you might be tempted to call that big fluffy cloud "heavy, rainy, or dark," you may find it more interesting (and helpful) to use the correct terminology if you want to understand cloud classifications. First invented by the English scientist Luke Howard, the classification of clouds is divided depending on their height: low, medium or high, their shape: cumulus and stratus, and also based on the weather that creates them.
Steps
Cloud shapes
Identify clouds by shape. There are two forms:
High clouds
- The plane's tracks are also located at this level of the earth's atmosphere.
- During sunset and sunrise, the high clouds turn into beautiful shades of red, orange and yellow.
- The glow around the moon or sun comes from feather clouds. Sometimes it can indicate rain or snow, especially when accompanied by thick, low clouds.
- Often feather clouds partially obscure the sun.[)
Look at the high clouds (or simply "high clouds"). They are at an altitude of approximately 5,943 meters and 12,954 meters. They include cirrus, cirrostratus and cumulus clouds. They are usually filled with ice crystals and have vague outlines. They are also thin and smoky.