All Of It

Question 1

Who proposed the classification of clouds into types?

Answer 1

Luke Howard in 1802

Question 2

What are the three main types of clouds?

Answer 2

• Stratus
• Cumulus
• Cirrus

Question 3

How do clouds form?

Answer 3

When rising, moist air cools to its dew point and condenses around condensation nuclei

Question 4

What indicates different weather patterns?

Answer 4

Different types of clouds, such as cumulus, stratus, and cirrus

Question 5

What occurs when cloud particles become too heavy?

Answer 5

Precipitation falls due to gravity

Question 6

What are the types of precipitation?

Answer 6

• Rain
• Snow
• Sleet
• Hail

Question 7

What is the height range of cirrus clouds?

Answer 7

20,000 - 40,000 ft

Question 8

What shape do cirrus clouds typically have?

Answer 8

Layered, tufty or patchy

Question 9

What does the Latin term ‘cirrus’ mean?

Answer 9

Lock or tuft of hair

Question 10

Do cirrus clouds produce precipitation?

Answer 10

No, they produce none

Question 11

What characterizes cirrus clouds?

Answer 11

Short, detached, hair-like clouds found at high altitudes

Question 12

What is the color of cirrus clouds during the day?

Answer 12

Whiter than any other cloud in the sky

Question 13

How do cirrus clouds form?

Answer 13

From the ascent of dry air causing water vapour to undergo deposition into ice

Question 14

What are cirrus clouds made of?

Answer 14

Completely of ice crystals

Question 15

How can cirrus clouds form from aircraft?

Answer 15

Through contrails left by planes in a dry upper troposphere

Question 16

What weather change do cirrus clouds indicate?

Answer 16

They often form in advance of a warm front

Question 17

What happens to the precipitation produced by cirrus clouds?

Answer 17

It never reaches the ground and re-evaporates, creating virga clouds

Question 18

What are cumulus clouds?

Answer 18

Cumulus clouds are detached, individual, cauliflower-shaped clouds usually spotted in fair weather conditions

Their tops are mostly brilliant white tufts when lit by the Sun, while their bases are usually relatively dark.

Question 19

How do cumulus clouds form?

Answer 19

Cumulus clouds develop because of convection. Heated air at the surface is lifted, cools, and causes water vapor to condense into the cloud

They can grow in height and size throughout the day, potentially forming into cumulonimbus clouds.

Question 20

What height range do cumulus clouds typically have?

Answer 20

1,200 - 6,500 ft

Question 21

What is the Latin origin of the term ‘cumulus’?

Answer 21

Cumulus means ‘heap’ in Latin

Question 22

What type of precipitation is associated with cumulus clouds?

Answer 22

Occasional rain or snow showers

Question 23

What weather is typically associated with cumulus clouds?

Answer 23

Mostly indicates fair weather, often appearing on bright sunny days

If conditions allow, they can grow into towering cumulus congestus or cumulonimbus clouds, which can produce showers.

Question 24

How many main species of cumulus clouds are there?

Answer 24

Four main species

Question 25

What characterizes cumulus humilis clouds?

Answer 25

Wider than they are tall, often numerous in the sky, indicating fair weather conditions

Question 26

What are cumulus mediocris clouds like?

Answer 26

As wide as they are tall, usually seen among a variety of other cumulus variations

Question 27

What defines cumulus congestus clouds?

Answer 27

Taller than they are wide, looking like long chimneys capable of producing light showers

Question 28

What are cumulus fractus clouds?

Answer 28

Broken remnants of cumulus clouds that are breaking up or 'dissipating'

Question 29

Fill in the blank: Cumulus clouds develop because of _______.

Answer 29

[convection]

Question 30

True or False: Cumulus clouds can only form over land.

Answer 30

False ## Footnote Cumulus clouds can also form over the sea, especially at night when the sea is warmer than the land.

Question 32

What are stratus clouds?

Answer 32

Stratus clouds are low-level layers with a uniform grey or white colour ## Footnote Often the scene of dull, overcast days in its 'nebulosus' form, they can persist for long periods of time. They are the lowest-lying cloud type and sometimes appear at the surface in the form of mist or fog.

Question 33

What is the height of the base of stratus clouds?

Answer 33

0 - 1,200 ft

Question 34

What is the shape of stratus clouds?

Answer 34

Layered

Question 35

What is the Latin term for stratus and what does it mean?

Answer 35

Stratus - flattened or spread out

Question 36

What type of precipitation do stratus clouds typically produce?

Answer 36

Light

Question 37

How do stratus clouds form?

Answer 37

Stratus clouds form in calm, stable conditions when gentle breezes raise cool, moist air over colder land or ocean surfaces ## Footnote These clouds can exist in a variety of thicknesses and are sometimes opaque enough to darken days, allowing for little light to pass through.

Question 38

What weather is typically associated with stratus clouds?

Answer 38

Little to no rainfall, but can produce light drizzle if thick enough ## Footnote This drizzle can also fall in the form of light snow if cold enough.

Question 39

How do we categorize stratus clouds?

Answer 39

Two defined species: * Stratus nebulosus * Stratus fractus

Question 40

What is stratus nebulosus?

Answer 40

A featureless, dark layer which can produce drizzle

Question 41

What is stratus fractus?

Answer 41

A stratus layer which is starting to break up or 'dissipate,' leading to breaks in the cloud

Question 42

What is fog?

Answer 42

A cloud at ground level that causes a reduction in visibility to less than 1000 metres

Question 43

What visibility condition indicates thick fog?

Answer 43

Visibility drops below 180 m

Question 44

What visibility condition indicates dense fog?

Answer 44

Visibility falls below 50 m over a wide area

Question 45

What causes fog?

Answer 45

Tiny water droplets suspended in the air ## Footnote The thickest fogs tend to occur in industrial areas where there are more pollution particles in the air allowing water droplets to coalesce and grow.

Question 47

What is radiation fog?

Answer 47

Radiation fog usually occurs in winter under clear skies and calm conditions, caused by the cooling of land overnight by thermal radiation. ## Footnote It allows condensation and fog to occur, dissipating soon after sunrise, except in high elevation areas.

Question 48

What conditions lead to the formation of valley fog?

Answer 48

Valley fog forms when cold dense air settles into lower parts of a valley, often as a result of a temperature inversion with warmer air above. ## Footnote It can last for several days in calm conditions during winter.

Question 49

What causes advection fog?

Answer 49

Advection fog occurs when moist, warm air passes over a colder surface and is cooled, often seen when warm fronts pass over snow cover or at sea with tropical air over cooler waters. ## Footnote Sea fog can be transported over coastal land areas if the wind blows in the right direction.

Question 50

How is upslope fog formed?

Answer 50

Upslope fog, or hill fog, forms when winds blow air up a slope, causing the air to cool and allowing moisture to condense. ## Footnote This process is known as orographic uplift.

Question 51

What is evaporation fog?

Answer 51

Evaporation fog is caused by cold air passing over warmer water or moist land, often leading to freezing fog or frost. ## Footnote It occurs when warm water evaporates into low air layers, mixing with cooler air.

Question 52

Fill in the blank: Cold air moves over heated outdoor swimming pools or hot tubs, where _______ fog easily forms.

Answer 52

steam

Question 53

What seasonal conditions are often associated with evaporation fog?

Answer 53

Evaporation fog often occurs in autumn when sea temperatures are still warm after summer, but the air is starting to cool. ## Footnote This phenomenon is common when cold fronts or cool air masses move over warm seas.