Introduction to Clouds http://science-edu.larc.nasa.

gov/cloud_chart

The water on Earth is always on the

move, changing state from liquid to
vapor back to liquid and snow and
ice near the poles and mountains.
Cloud Cover The process used to describe the
Cirrus Cirrus Contrail Contrail continuous movement of water
High

Clear (0% - 5%)

Partly Cloudy (5% - 50%) between the Earth and atmosphere is
Mostly Cloudy (50% - 95%) known as the water cycle, and is
Overcast (95% - 100%) often referred to as the hydrologic
6 km cycle. There is no beginning or end to
Visual Opacity the water cycle; it behaves much like
Opaque
a Ferris wheel at an amusement
5 km Translucent
park, moving around and around.
Cirrostratus Cirrostratus Cirrus Cirrocumulus
Transparent

4 km
Cloud Cover
Determination of the amount of
cloud cover is done by estimating the
Mid

percentage of the sky covered with clouds.

This is one of several possible scales
3 km or categories for cloud cover.

Altostratus Altocumulus Altocumulus Altocumulus 2 km Visual Opacity

The thickness of a cloud determines
the amount of light being transmitted
through the cloud. Shadows often
CONVECTIVE provide a clue.

CLOUDS Ever wonder how

clouds got their names?
Well you may be surprised
Stratocumulus Nimbostratus
Low

Cloud Level to find out!

Three levels of clouds have
been identified based on the
The Earths Water Cycle
altitude of a clouds base.
1 km
Altitude of Cloud Base

In 1803 Luke Howard used Latin terms to classify four main cloud types.
Cumulus means pile and describes heaped, lumpy clouds.
Fog Stratus Cumulonimbus Cumulus Cirrus, meaning hair, describes high level clouds that look wispy, like locks of hair.
Featureless clouds that form sheets are called Stratus, meaning layer.
The term Nimbus, which means precipitating cloud, refers to low, grey rain clouds.
Convective Clouds
form because of large updrafts Alto is used to describe mid level clouds.
of warm, moist air moving Finally, convective clouds have a vertical development extending through large portions of the atmosphere.
up into cold air!

0 km

National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
http://www.nasa.gov http://www.noaa.gov
http://education.nasa.gov http://www.weather.gov
http://scool.larc.nasa.gov http://www.education.noaa.gov
NP 2007-07-33-LaRC http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream
YPA-200752-L