In this article, we’ll discuss different types of clouds, how clouds are formed, factors affecting cloud formation, when do clouds come down, etc.
What are clouds?
Clouds are the large assembly of tiny droplets of water or ice crystals in the atmosphere. These
droplets are just one hundredth of a millimeter in diameter, which helps them to stay up
in the air.
Wonder how clouds are formed?
There are two ingredients required for clouds to form: water and nuclei.
The sun’s heat on the ground causes air just above the ground to heat and rise. When air rises, it cools down, which makes it difficult for cold air to hold much of water vapor in comparison to hot air.
When the air becomes cold, it becomes saturated and forces the water vapor out for condensation, and water droplets are formed, which means gas changing to liquid. So when these tiny water droplets condense on a dust particle, the dust particle is called condensation nuclei and when number of condensation nuclei stick together, they form a Cloud.
Factors affecting cloud formation
- Sun’s heat
- Hills and Mountains
- Turbulence (strong movement of air)
- Transpiration in plants
- Evaporation from water bodies like rivers, lakes, and seas.
When do clouds come down?
As clouds are present at a height in the sky where air is very cold, therefore we say clouds are
made of tiny ice crystals formed from water and appear to be thin and wispy. Only when clouds
have enough droplets, they collide to form large droplets that fall as precipitation.
Different types of clouds
All the clouds are formed in the same way but they don’t look similar. Therefore, meteorologists have classified clouds into different types that help the meteorological department understand and predict their effects on weather. Clouds vary in shapes and sizes. But Luke Howard, an amateur meteorologist, has classified clouds mainly of three types Cirrus, cumulus, stratus, and a fourth special type nimbus.
Cirro-form: The Latin word “cirro” means curl of hair.
Cumulo-form: Latin for “heap,” looks like white fluffy cotton balls.
Strato-form: Latin word for “layer”.
Nimbo-form: a special rain cloud category that combined the three forms cumulo + cirro + stratus. “Nimbus,” the Latin word for rain. source
Later he found that these clouds can exist in combination of the above, for example, cirrus + nimbus. So there are 10 types of clouds that exist in the atmosphere and are at different levels of height in the sky.
- Cirrus
- Cirrocumulus
- Cirrostratus
- Altocumulus
- Altostratus
- Nimbostratus
- Cumulus
- Cumulonimbus
- Stratocumulus
- Stratus
Types of clouds at high level (16,500-45,000 feet)
- Cirrus – White colored clouds made of ice crystals present in patches on narrow bands. They have smooth, shiny qualities. They are high-level clouds at 6000 m above the Earth surface that can appear in varied colors, like before sunrise and after sunset, appear bright yellow or red, and throughout the day they are yellowish in color.
- Cirrocumulus: These are short-lived clouds made of ice crystals. Found in connection with other clouds, these are thin white clouds in patch sheets or layer arrangements.
- Cirrostratus: High-level clouds that are transparent appear smooth and are extensive enough to cover the whole sky.
Types of clouds at middle level (6,500-23,000 feet)
- Altocumulus: Middle-level cloud which are white and gray in color and can be in laminae, round masses, or rolls. They appear to be at different levels at the same time. Mostly consist of water droplets.
- Altostratus: They appear gray or bluish in color, present as layers that cover the sky totally or partially.
- Nimbostratus: Brings continuous rain and appears to be a dark gray color.
Types of clouds at low level (less than 6,500 feet)
- Cumulus: These are low-level clouds that are large and lumpy; these are 12000 m high in
the atmosphere stretching vertically, these clouds cause heavy precipitation. - Cumulonimbus: These are heavy and dense clouds that are also called thunderstorm clouds. These clouds generate hail and tornadoes.
- Stratocumulus: These clouds are like gray or white patches that look like dark honeycomb round masses.
- Stratus: gray-colored clouds present as layers. They cover the entire sky like a blanket. These clouds bring a chill overcast day, and precipitation if it occurs will be in the form of drizzle or light snow.