Clouds

Clouds Updated Thursday, March 17, 2005 Updated Tuesday, February 22, 2005 "Reading" clouds helps in weather forecasting. When water vapor (water in the form of a gas) condenses in the air, various types of clouds form. FOG is clouds close to the ground. Fog often forms when cold air settles to the ground of a clear, windless night. STRATUS CLOUDS are gray sheets of clouds that usually mean slow, steady rain or snow. CUMULUS CLOUDS are puffy fair weather clouds that are caused by rising warm air. CUMULONIMBUS CLOUDS are fast rising clouds with a spreading top. These clouds usually mean thunderstorms and strong winds. CIRRUS CLOUDS are clouds made of ice crystals which are found five miles or higher above the earth. Cirrus clouds go with fiar weather; but when they spread across the sky, a weather change is coming. Folk wisdom tells us "The higher the clouds, the fairer the weather" and "When clouds sink below the hills, foul weather; When clouds rise above the hills, fair weather." This agrees with science which explains "higher clouds indicate drier aire and high air pressure, both conditions of fair weather. If the cloud base is low, the air will be moist and rain more likely." These photos are taken at Brownell-Talbot school. They show the clouds (and lack of clouds) in the morning sky. The photos are taken looking southeast. These photos are taken between 8:30 and 10:00 AM. clouds 2.7.05 clouds 2.8.05 clouds 2.9.05 clouds 2-10.05 clouds 2.11.05 clouds low 2.11-05 clouds 2.13.05 clouds 2.14.05 clouds 2.15.05 clouds 2.16.05 clouds 2.17.05 Created with Photo Finale Judy Hartwig