Module 2.2 METEOROLOGY: CLOUD PHYSICS Flashcards
It is the study of the physical processes
that lead to the formation, growth and precipitation of atmospheric clouds
Cloud Physics
It is a puffy thing in the sky which is a mass of water drops or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere.
Cloud
TYPES OF CLOUDS
LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS
MIDDLE-LEVEL CLOUDS
HIGH-LEVEL CLOUDS
VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT CLOUDS
TYPES OF LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS
STRATUS
STRATOCUMULUS
CUMULUS
CUMULONIMBUS
These are the clouds that is often look like
thin, white sheets covering the whole sky.
Stratus
These are the clouds are patchy gray or
white clouds that often have dark honey-comb appearance.
Stratocumulus
These are the clouds that looks like
fluffy, white cotton balls in the sky.
Cumulus
These are the clouds that grows on hot days when warm, wet air rises very
high into the sky.
Cumulonimbus
TYPES OF MIDDLE-LEVEL CLOUDS
ALTOSTRATUS
ALTOCUMULUS
These are the gray or blue-gray clouds composed of ice crystals and water
droplets.
Altostratus
These are the clouds that have several patchy white or gray layers and seem to be made up of many small rows of fluffy ripples.
Altocumulus
TYPES OF HIGH-LEVEL CLOUDS
CIRRUS
CIRROSTRATUS
CIRROCUMULUS
These are delicate, feathery clouds that are made mostly of ice crystals.
Cirrus
These are thin, white clouds that cover the
whole sky like a veil.
Cirrostratus
These are thin, sometimes patchy, sheet-like clouds.
Cirrocumulus
TYPE OF VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT CLOUDS
NIMBOSTRATUS
These are dark, gray clouds that seem
to fade into falling rain or snow.
Nimbostratus
Cloud Formation Process in order
Evaporation
Convection
Adiabatic Cooling
Saturation
Condensation
Cloud Growth
Precipitation
These are large bodies of air with uniform
temperature and humidity characteristics, formed over source regions with similar surface properties.
Air Masses
These are boundaries between contrasting air masses with different temperature, humidity, and density properties, leading to dynamic atmospheric instability and cloud formation.
Fronts
TYPES OF FRONTS
Warm Front
Cold Front
It is when warm air advances (overpasses) and rises over cooler air, leading to gradual cloud development and precipitation.
Warm Front
Example of Warm Front (Clouds)
Altostratus
Nimbostratus
It is a type of front that has a moderate weather and precipitations are extended.
Warm Front
It is when cold air advances and displaces warm air, leading to rapid uplift, condensation, and the formation of cumulonimbus clouds and severe
weather.
Cold Front
It is a type of Front that has a severe weather resulting to thunder storms and heavy rain. Precipitations are NOT EXTENDED.
Cold Front
5 FACTORS INFLUENCING CLOUD PARTICLE SIZE & DISTRIBUTION
Temperature
Humidity
Aerosols
Vertical Motion
Atmospheric Composition/Condition
It is the behavior of the Clouds
(Atmospheric Thermodynamics, Radiation etc.)
Cloud Physics
It has the ability to predict severe weather.
Cloud Physics
It can be a water drops or ice crystals.
(Condensation)
Cloud
Clouds varies in what characteristics?
Shape, Size, Altitude, Composition
Cloud types produces different ____ ?
Weather Pattern
TAKE NOTE:
No PRECIPITATION if there is no CLOUD!
- It is a type of low-level clouds that is grayish in color sometimes.
- It has Uniform Appearances/Layers
- 100 ft or Approximately 2000m high from the earth/ground.
STRATUS
What is the composition of Stratus
Water Droplets
This type of cloud produces light precipitation (mist, Ambon)
Stratus
- This cloud has a patchy layers
- Has a darker shade of gray compared to stratus
STRATOCUMULUS
Composition of Stratocumulus
Water Droplets
Height of Stratocumulus
2000m altitude/high
This type of low-level-cloud has stable weather condition but also produces light precipitation.
STRATOCUMULUS
This type of low-level-Cloud is white in Color. Its base is flat & the top is rounded.
CUMULUS
Height of Cumulus Clouds from the ground level.
2000-6000m altitude
Composition of Cumulus Clouds
Water Droplets
This type of Low-level-Cloud has a fair-weather condition but sometimes also produces thunderstorms.
CUMULUS
Height of Cumulonimbus
18,000m or higher
TAKE NOTE:
CUMULUS developed into CUMULONIMBUS and can produce thunderstorms then.
This type of low-level-cloud has a severe weather.
CUMULONIMBUS
Composition of Cumulonimbus Clouds
Water droplets or ice crystals or “Super Cold Water”
It is the highest low-level Clouds
CUMULONIMBUS
This type of Middle-level Clouds has a uniform layers and produces diffuse or dim light that can lead to light precipitation.
ALTOSTRATUS
Height of Altostratus Clouds
2000-6000m altitude from low-level clouds
Height of Altocumulus Clouds
2000-6000m from low-level clouds.
This type of middle-level clouds are associated with fair-weather condition.
ALTOCUMULUS
Composition of Cirrus Clouds
Made mostly of ice crystals & water droplets.
This type of cloud has a hair-like texture appearance and also associated with fair-weather conditions.
CIRRUS
Height of Cirrus Clouds
6000m from middle-level
This type of cloud has a sheet-like appearance and covers large portion of the sky.
Cirrostratus
Height of Cirrostratus Clouds
6000-12000m from the middle-level
Composition of Cirrostratus Clouds
Ice-crystals
This type of cloud produces a HALO PHENOMENA, around the sun and moon.
CIRROSTRATUS
This type of cloud’s patches are arranged into rows.
CIRROCUMULUS
Height of Cirrocumulus Clouds
Approx. 12000-14000 from the middle-level
Composition of Cirrocumulus Clouds
Ice crystals
This type of cloud is associated with fair-weather & sometimes indicates atmospheric instability.
CIRROCUMULUS
This type of cloud has the highest altitude.
Height can be the highest height from the low-level to middle-level.
Nimbostratus
This type of cloud is steady, moderate and heavy as long as there’s precipitation.
Nimbostratus
It is where precipitation are prolonged.
Nimbostratus
It is where warmed air rises from the surface and will have expansion and cooling.
CONVECTION
TAKE NOTE:
Clouds doesn’t always COLLIDE but also MERGES.
These are bigger compared to Clouds.
AIR MASSES
