Scribd
Upload
40 views

CLOUDS

Clouds form through condensation of water vapor in the air. There are several ways that air can be cooled to the dew point where condensation occurs, leading to cloud formation: 1) Warm air rises due to surface heating from the sun, expanding and cooling as it rises to form cumulus, stratocumulus and cumulonimbus clouds. 2) Air is forced upwards as it encounters mountains or other terrain, cooling and condensing to form stratus and lenticular clouds. 3) Air rises within low pressure systems, along sloping land, and over cold fronts as warmer air overrides colder air, allowing various cloud types like altocumulus and nimbostratus to

Uploaded by

Mohd Arsh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
40 views

CLOUDS

Clouds form through condensation of water vapor in the air. There are several ways that air can be cooled to the dew point where condensation occurs, leading to cloud formation: 1) Warm air rises due to surface heating from the sun, expanding and cooling as it rises to form cumulus, stratocumulus and cumulonimbus clouds. 2) Air is forced upwards as it encounters mountains or other terrain, cooling and condensing to form stratus and lenticular clouds. 3) Air rises within low pressure systems, along sloping land, and over cold fronts as warmer air overrides colder air, allowing various cloud types like altocumulus and nimbostratus to

Uploaded by

Mohd Arsh
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

CLOUDS

FORMATION OF CLOUDS
Clouds are made of water droplets or ice crystals that are so small and light they are able to stay
in the air. But how does the water and ice that makes up clouds get into the sky? And why do
different types of clouds form?
Clouds form when the invisible water vapour in the air condenses into visible water droplets or ice
crystals. There is water around us all the time in the form of tiny gas particles, also known as
water vapour. There are also tiny particles floating around in the air – such as salt and dust –
these are called aerosols. Aerosols make it easier for the water vapour to condense, and once the
process starts, eventually bigger water droplets form around the aerosol particles, and these water
droplets start to merge with other droplets, forming clouds.
Clouds form when the air is saturated which means it cannot hold any more water vapour, this can
happen in two ways:
1. The amount of water in the air has increased – for example through evaporation – to the
point that the air cannot hold any more water.
2. The air is cooled to its dew point – the point where condensation occurs – and the air is
unable to hold any more water.
The warmer the air is, the more water vapour it can hold. Clouds are usually produced through
condensation – as the air rises, it will cool, and reducing the temperature of the air decreases its
ability to hold water vapour so that condensation occurs. The height at which the dew point is
reached and clouds form is called the condensation level.

Clouds Form Due to Surface Heating


When the Sun warms the Earth, warm air rises into the atmosphere. As it rises, it expands and
cools. Water vapor condenses out of the cool air to form a cloud.
Some clouds form due to the heating of the
Earth's surface. First, the Sun heats the ground,
which then heats the air. This warm air is lighter
and less dense than the surrounding air, so it
begins to rise. When this air rises, it expands
because of the lower pressures that exists at
higher levels in the atmosphere. Anytime air
expands because of a drop in pressure, it also
gets cooler. So when the rising air expands it
also cools.
The cooling air that is rising is no longer able to
hold all of the water vapor it was able to hold
when it was warm. This extra water vapor
begins to condense out of the air parcel in the
form of liquid water droplets. As the air parcel
rises higher and higher, it continues to expand
and get cooler, and more moisture condenses
out of it.
Eventually, enough moisture will condense out
of the air parcel to form a cloud! The types of clouds that form from the process of surface
heating are cumulonimbus (and associated mammatus clouds), cumulus, and stratocumulus.
In contrast to surface heating, the cooling of the Earth's surface leads to the development of fog
and stratus clouds.

Clouds Form Due to Mountains


When wind blows across a mountain range, air rises and cools and clouds can form.
Some clouds form when air encounters a mountain range or other types of terrain. When this
happens, the air will rise and cool, and this cooler air is no longer able to hold all of the water vapor
it was able to hold when it was warm. The extra water vapor begins to condense out of the air
parcel in the form of liquid water droplets and a cloud is formed.
The types of clouds that form from
encounters with mountains are stratus
clouds and lenticular clouds.
The image on this page shows
how winds can blow into a mountain range
and then rise higher in the atmosphere. The
side of the mountains where the wind
starts is called the windward side. The side of the mountains where the wind leaves the area is
called the leeward side.
Another way that mountains cause cloud formation is when air rises because the mountain is
warmer than the surrounding air and causes the air to rise. Once the air rises, it follows the same
process to form clouds as described above. The types of clouds that form in this case
are cumulonimbus (and associated mammatus clouds), and cumulus.

Clouds Form When Air is Forced to Rise


Air moves into a Low pressure system. It pushes any air that
was there upwards.
Some clouds form when air at the surface of the Earth is
forced to rise. There are three processes that force air to rise.
First, in a low pressure system, wind moves in towards the
center from all directions because air moves from high to low
pressure. When this air meets in the center, there is nowhere
for the air to go but up. Air is also forced to rise when it is
traveling over land that slopes upward. The air cools as it rises,
and eventually clouds will form. Finally, weather fronts produce
clouds by causing air to rise when the lighter warm air flows
over the heavier cold air.
All of the cloud types are formed by these processes,
especially altocumulus, altostratus, cirrocumulus,
stratocumulus, or stratus clouds.

Clouds Form Due to Weather Fronts


Cold air is more dense than warm air, so when a warm air mass meets a cold air mass, the cold air
ends up below the warm air. Once the air has risen, it cools and clouds can form.

Weather fronts can cause clouds to form. Fronts occur when two large masses of air collide at the
Earth's surface.
Warm fronts produce clouds when warm
air replaces cold air by sliding above it.
Many different cloud types can be created
in this way: altocumulus, altostratus,
cirrocumulus, cirrostratus, cirrus,
cumulonimbus (and associated
mammatus clouds), nimbostratus, stratus,
and stratocumulus.
Cold fronts occur when heavy cold air
displaces lighter warm air, pushing it
upward. Cumulus clouds are the most
common cloud types that are produced by
cold fronts. They often grow into cumulonimbus clouds, which produce thunderstorms. Cold
fronts can also produce nimbostratus, stratocumulus, and stratus clouds.

You might also like