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Cloud Formation

The document discusses different types of clouds including high, medium, and low level clouds. It describes how clouds form and the conditions needed for cloud formation. Various cloud types such as cumulus, stratus and cirrus clouds are explained.

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Shariya Abu Noman
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13 views

Cloud Formation

The document discusses different types of clouds including high, medium, and low level clouds. It describes how clouds form and the conditions needed for cloud formation. Various cloud types such as cumulus, stratus and cirrus clouds are explained.

Uploaded by

Shariya Abu Noman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Cloud Formation

Definition of cloud
• A cloud is a visible aggregate of tiny water
droplets and/or ice crystals suspended in the
atmosphere and can exist in a variety of shapes
and sizes. Some clouds are accompanied by
precipitation; rain, snow, hail, sleet, even
freezing rain.
• WMO :”A visible aggregate of minute particles of
water or ice or both, in the free air”.
• A cloud is composed of tiny water droplets or ice
crystals or both.
How Clouds Form

Clouds form when water vapor onto microscopic


dust particles (or other tiny particles) floating in the
air. This condensation (cloud formation) happens
when warm and cold air meet, when warm air
rises up the side of a mountain and cools as it
rises, and when warm air flows over a colder area,
like a cool body of water. This occurs because
cool air can hold less water vapor than warm air,
and excess water condenses into either liquid or
ice.
Four main ways that clouds can
form

• Surface Heating
• Mountains and
Terrain
• Air Masses Being
Forced to Rise
• Weather Fronts (cold
or warm)
Condition for Cloud Formation
• Sufficient water vapor
• A cooling process
• Condensation nuclei
Classification of Clouds
• High Level Clouds: Cirrus, Cirrocumulus &
Cirrostratus
• Medium Level clouds: Altocumulus & Altostratus
• Low level Clouds: Nimbostratus , stratus &
Stratocumulus
• Vertically Developed Clouds: Fair WX Cumulus &
Cumulonimbus
Clouds with average height
High level cloud (Ci, Cs & Cc)
Mid Level Cloud( Ac & As)
Low Level Clouds (St, Sc & Ns)
Vertically Developed Cloud
Main type of Cloud

• Cumulus: In Latin, this means "heap." Cumulus


clouds look like a heap of cotton balls or
whipped cream.
• Stratus: It's Latin for "covering" or "blanket."
Stratus clouds look like a flat blanket in the sky.
• Cirrus: It's Latin for "curl." Cirrus clouds look
like curls of white hair.
Pptn. in various Clouds

Pptn As Ns Sc St Cu Cb
RA + + + + +
DZ +
SN + + + + + +
High level cloud
Mid Level cloud
Low level cloud
Vertically Developed Cloud
Cirrus Cloud
Cirrocumulus
Cirrostratus
Cirrostratus
Altocumulus
Altostratus
Cumulus
Cumulus
CB( Cumulonimbus )
Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus
Mammatus Cloud
Mamatus Cloud
Stratocumulus
Stratocumulus
Stratus
Nimbostratus
Lenticulur-Lens-shaped cirrocumulus,
altocumulus, or stratocumulus clouds that
usually are elongated and well-defined.
Cloud Reporting in WX Report
• 0 Octa- SKC
• 1-2 Octa –FEW
• 3-4 Octa-SCT
• 5-7 Octa-BKN
• 8 Octa- OVC
• CB cloud Reported – ISOL for individual Cb,
OCNL for well separated Cbs & FRQ for Cbs
with little or no separation.
Turbulence associated with
clouds
• St – slight
Ci, Cs, Cc, Ac, As – nil or slight except when Ac
castellanus or when merging into Cb
Sc – moderate
Ns – moderate but may be severe near base

• Cu, TCu, Cb – Generally severe but may be


catastrophic and include the downbursts and the
internal up/downdraughts.
Flying Condition in cloud
Type Height of Stability/Vis Ac Icing Turbulence
base
St water below stable air icing is Nil or slight
drops 2,000ft 10-30 m common

Cu /Cb Base below unstable air/ Rime or Severe,


water 2,000ft Lightning,/ clear ice, bumpy to
drops/ 10-30 m heavy/ very very bumpy,
mixed at heavy rain strong
low temp updrafts.
Flying Condition in cloud
Type Height of Stability/ Vis Ac Icing Turbulence
base
Ns Surface- 10-20 m Rime/ Mod Mod to
Water drops 8000 ft clear ice Severe
Sc 1500-6500 10-30 m Rime mod Mod
Water drops
Ac & As between 20-1000 m Rime Nil/slight
Water/ 6,500ft and bumpy
mixed 20,000ft.
Ci, Cs & Cc 30000 ft & Over 1000 m Rare/ slight Nil/slight
Ice above
crystal
/mixed
Cloud Summary-Convective
Type
Name Height/Depth Appearance Warning Remarks
of
Small Cu Few thousand ft Horizontal Fair wx Bumpy
depth base/rounded top

Large Cu Many thousand Horizontal TS/SH Good


ft depth base/cauliflower later vis/very
top bumpy/mod
to sev icing

Cb Base very low, As large Cu but TS/Heavy very


ragged, top to anvil top SH/ Hail bumpy/sev
tropopause & squall icing/statics,
lightning
Cloud Summary-Convective
Type
Name Height/Depth Appearance Warning of Remarks

Ac Cast Base & depth Hor base Thundery Bumpy,


many At mid level dev mod/sev
thousands Ft & turreted icing
top
Visibility in Cloud

Visibility refers to the greatest horizontal distance


at which prominent objects can be viewed with the
naked eye. Visibility in cloud depends on types of
constituents of the cloud.
Pptn. Hazard
Precipitation in any form poses a threat to safety
of flight. Often, precipitation is accompanied by
low ceilings and reduced visibility. Aircraft that
have ice, snow, or frost on their surfaces must be
carefully cleaned prior to beginning a flight
because of the possible airflow disruption and
loss of lift. Rain can contribute to water in the fuel
tanks. Precipitation can create hazards on the
runway surface itself, making takeoffs and
landings difficult, if not impossible, due to snow,
ice, or pooling water and very slick surfaces.
Flying in Clouds
• Flying in clouds has to be done under instrument
flight rules (IFR) unless the clouds are thin or of
patchy nature. Before entering a cloud, air crew
are to be sure of the nature of the cloud ( its
approx. thickness & horizontal coverage). The
hazards are:
– Poor Visibility
– Turbulence
– Ice Accretion
– Cloud ceiling

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