Clouds Flashcards

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1
Q

A puffy, fair weather cloud with a flat bottom

A

cumulus cloud

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2
Q

A flat, low-lying cloud that covers the sky like a blanket; can produce rain or snow

A

stratus cloud

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3
Q

Wispy feathery cloud composed of ice crystals that has the highest altitude of any cloud in the sky

A

cirrus clouds

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4
Q

Towering, tall mountain-like clouds with gray bottoms that can bring heavy rain and lightning

A

cumulonimbus clouds

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5
Q

A prefix or suffix meaning that the cloud is producing rain.

A

nimbo or nimbus

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6
Q

A prefix meaning the cloud is covering the sky in a low layer

A

strato

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7
Q

A prefix meaning the cloud is at a very high altitude

A

cirro

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8
Q

A prefix meaning the cloud is at a mid altitude

A

alto

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9
Q

A stratus cloud that forms when air is cooled to its dew point near the ground

A

fog

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10
Q

A low cloud, predominantly low, with lumpy, rounded masses, often with blue sky between them.

A

stratocumulus cloud

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11
Q

Low, gray stratus clouds that produce rain or snow. These clouds are so thick and dark that they can block sunlight.

A

nimbostratus cloud

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12
Q

A middle cloud, usually white. Often occurs in layers or patches with wavy, rounded masses or rolls.

A

altostratus cloud

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13
Q

A middle cloud, usually gray. Often occurs in layers or patches with wavy, rounded masses or rolls. Generally found between 6,500 and 23,000 ft.

A

altocumulus cloud

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14
Q

A cloud at a high altitude consisting of a series of regularly arranged small clouds resembling ripples.

A

cirrocumulus cloud

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15
Q

A continuous sheet with no features, often has a fibrous look. Very thin; usually the moon or sun is visible through them. It grows from a cirrus by just getting thicker.

A

cirrostratus cloud

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16
Q

These particles serve as surfaces on which water vapor may condense

A

condensation nuclei

17
Q

Fog that forms as moist air flows upward along an elevated surface

A

upslope fog

18
Q

Artic sea smoke and steam devils are a form of this type of fog

A

steam fog

19
Q

A tiny liquid drop of dew that freezes when the air temp. drops below freezing

A

frozen dew

20
Q

Fog that most often forms as warm rain falls into a cold layer of air or when warm moist air rides up and over cold air.

A

frontal fog

21
Q

The most common type of fog along the pacific coast of north america

A

advection fog

22
Q

Light shower of snow that falls intermittently from cumuliform clouds for a short duration

A

flurries

23
Q

Particles in the atmosphere on which ice crystals may grow

A

ice nuclei

24
Q

Another name for the ice crystal process of rain formation

A

bergeron process

25
Q

Injecting a cloud with small particles with the intent to enhance precipitation

A

seeding

26
Q

What is the largest form of precipitation?

A

hail

27
Q

Ragged looking clouds that drift rapidly with the wind often beneath a nimbostratus cloud

A

scud

28
Q

Lumpy ice particles that form in a cloud usually by the process of accretion

A

Graupel

29
Q

What are the two main processes that form precipitation?

A

collission and coalescence

30
Q

Water molecules that are colder than freezing but not frozen.

A

Supercooled droplets

31
Q

What is used to seed clouds?

A

dry ice or silver ioide

32
Q

An observable streak or shaft of precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground.

A

Virga

33
Q

Lens shaped clouds formed by moist air crossing mountains

A

lenticular clouds

34
Q

A cap cloud that forms above a cumulonimbus cloud or cumulus congestus cloud because most winds are deflected to the top of the cloud.

A

pileus clouds

35
Q

Called cow udders, form on underside of cumulonimbus clouds or form in sinking air

A

mammatus clouds

36
Q

Condensation trails from aircraft that form when water vapor condenses and freezes around small particles (aerosols) that exist in the aircraft exhaust

A

contrails

37
Q

Cirrus clouds are typically found at elevations of:

A

20,000 feet and above