A Weather Predictor

1

• A Weather Predictor

2
UNDERSTANDING CLOUDS
Clouds are usually the most obvious feature of
the sky. They reflect weather patterns and play
a role in what the weather does. They are
sources of precipitation as well as affect the
temperatures of our atmosphere. Clouds block
incoming sunlight during the day, which cools the
air, but they can also block outgoing radiation
from the Earth, which can warm temperatures.
3
WHAT ARE CLOUDS

• Clouds are water, either small liquid water drops
  or tiny pieces of ice.
• Meteorologists rank clouds according to their
  height and whether they are puffy or flat.

4
HOW ARE CLOUDS FORMED

• Clouds form when the air rises and evaporation
  and transpiration occurs.
• As temperatures and air pressure drop, water
  droplets clump together causing condensation or a
  cloud.
• When the droplets are too heavy to float in the
  air they fall to the ground in the form of rain
  or snow called, precipitation.

5
CLOUD CLASSIFICATION

• Cirrus-high level clouds that have bases below
  7,000 feet
• Cumulus- mid-level clouds that have bases between
  7000-18,000 feet
• Straus-low level clouds that have bases below
  6,500 feet
• Vertical-tallest of all clouds that can go up to
  60,000 feet.

6
CIRRUS

• High altitude and wispy
• Composed of ice crystals
• Thin with hairlike strands
• Some have a wavelike
• appearance
• Some have a sheetlike
• appearance
• Are usually thin allowing
• moonlight and sun to
• shine through

7
CUMULUS

• Contains ice crystals
• or rain
• Usually puffy
• Noticeable vertical
• development
• Have popcorn appearance
• Can be widely scattered
• or clumped
• Appears thick

8
STRATUS

• Lowest of the low clouds
• Appear as an overcast, but can be scattered
• Can be in layers

9
VERTICALLY FORMED CLOUDS

• Can produce lightning, heavy rains, hail, strong
  winds, and tornados. They are the tallest of all
  clouds and have an anvil shaped top due to the
  stronger winds at those altitudes.

10
(No Transcript)