Clouds and Weather Prediction

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Clouds and Weather Prediction
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Learner Expectations

• Grade 5
• Atmosphere Conditions/Data/Predict The learner
  will be able to predict weather conditions based
  on an analysis of atmospheric data.

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In this activity you will

• Learn about the types of clouds and the weather
  each might predict.
• Write a paragraph about a cloud type and its
  weather.

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What are clouds?

• A cloud is made up of tiny water droplets and/or
  ice crystals, a snowflake is a collection of many
  ice crystals, and rain is just liquid water.

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Cloud Types

• Names of specific types of clouds are created by
  combining the name of the cloud's shape with its
  height.

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Cloud Types

• The presence of clouds in the sky is one type of
  signal to meteorologists that there will be
  changes in the weather. Predicting the weather
  requires the understanding of the different types
  of clouds.

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Cloud Formation

• Clouds form when solar heating of the earths
  surface warms the air near the ground. This air
  begins to rise and it expands and cools.
• Water vapor then condenses on small dust
  particles suspended in the air and these combine
  to form clouds.

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Cloud Formation

• The type of cloud created is determined by how
  fast the air rises.

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Clouds

• There are 3 main types of clouds
• Cumulus or fluffy clouds form when air is forced
  up rapidly and therefore rises higher.

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Clouds

• Stratus clouds are layered clouds that form when
  air that is forced up slowly.

Stratus
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Clouds

• Cirrus clouds are thin feathery clouds.

Cirrus
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There are three categories of cloud heights

• High Clouds Cirrus
• Middle Clouds Alto
• Low Clouds Stratus

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High Clouds Cirrus

• Types
• Cirrus
• Cirrostratus
• Cirrocumulus

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High Clouds Cirrus

• Cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals and are
  high and wispy. They can be divided into
  cirrostratus and cirrocumulus clouds.

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High Clouds Cirrus
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High Clouds Cirrus

• Cirrus generally occur in fair weather and point
  in the direction of air movement at their
  elevation.

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Cirrus

• Cirrus clouds are usually the first sign of an
  approaching storm.

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Cirrus Clouds
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Middle Clouds Alto

• Altostratus
• Altocumulus

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Middle Clouds Altocumulus
Altocumulus clouds usually form from the gradual
lifting of air in advance of a cold front.
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Middle Clouds Altocumulus
The presence of altocumulus clouds on a warm and
humid summer morning is commonly followed by
thunderstorms later in the day.
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Low Clouds Stratus

• Stratus
• Stratocumulus
• Nimbostratus

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Low Level Stratus Clouds Low clouds are of
mostly composed of water droplets. However, when
temperatures are cold enough, these clouds may
also contain ice particles and snow.
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Low Level Stratus Clouds
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Low Level Stratus Clouds
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Low Clouds Stratus

• Stratus clouds resemble fog, but they do not
  reach the ground. They often produce mist or
  drizzle.

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Vertically Developed Clouds

• Fair weather cumulus have the appearance of
  floating cotton and have a lifetime of 5-40
  minutes. The cloud tops designate the limit of
  the rising air.

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Vertically Developed Clouds

• Harmless fair weather cumulus can later develop
  into towering cumulonimbus clouds associated with
  powerful thunderstorms.

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Nimbus Clouds

• Nimbus clouds are clouds that produce
  precipitation. Nimbo or nimbus might be used with
  cumulus or stratus to indicate a cloud formation
  that is producing rain.

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Cumulonimbus and Nimbostratus

• A nimbostratus cloud is a stratus cloud with
  precipitation and a cumulonimbus cloud is a
  cumulus cloud with precipitation.

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Cumulonimbus Clouds

• Cumulonimbus clouds are the "thunderheads" that
  can be seen on a warm summer day and can bring
  strong winds, hail, and rain.

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Nimbostratus

• Nimbostratus are dark, low-level clouds
  accompanied by light to moderately falling
  precipitation.

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Nimbostratus

• Nimbostratus clouds will bring a long steady
  rain. However, when temperatures are cold enough,
  these clouds may also contain ice particles and
  snow.

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Nimbostratus
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Stratocumulus Clouds

• Stratocumulus clouds generally appear as a low,
  lumpy layer of clouds that is sometimes
  accompanied by weak intensity precipitation.

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Stratocumulus
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Weather Predictors

• Clouds, in many cases, foreshadow incoming
  weather and assist in forecasting.

More about Clouds
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Writing Activity

• Write a paragraph about one type of cloud and the
  weather conditions it predicts. Include 4 facts
  from this presentation.