XuHaoHui WANG
(Harvey)
Cloud
The cloud is water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into water droplets, super
cooled water droplets, ice crystals, or a mixture of them visible suspension.
Cloud formation, shape characteristics, how much quantity, distribution and
evolution, not only reflected the prevailing atmosphere of sports, such as degree of
stability and moisture conditions, but also indicate that an important feature of future
changes in the weather. Correct observation and analysis of cloud changes, is get to
know the physical condition of the atmosphere, changes in the weather is an important
factor to master the law.
Cloud formation and change is very complex, and everything else it contains a
contradiction in itself exceptional, thus forming a colorful appearance and the
changing characteristics. Cloud grasps these features to correctly identify the cloud,
and constantly improve the level of cloud observations.
The ever-changing cloud shape characteristics, the causes vary, but it has its
common features. Usually based on their common characteristics, combined with the
actual needs, according to the height of the cloud base cloud into low, medium, and
high family, and then follow the cloud shape characteristics, structure, nuclear
Genesis is divided into ten genera and several classes.
Low clouds
Low clouds and more from the water droplets, thick or strong vertical
development of low clouds are made of water droplets, super cooled water droplets,
ice crystals mixed composition. Cloud base height is generally below 2500 meters,
but while there is a change with the seasons, weather conditions and different
geographical latitudes. Most low clouds may produce precipitation, rain clouds often
continuous rainfall, more than a showery precipitation cumulonimbus, sometimes a
lot of precipitation.
Cumulus
Cumulus individual obviously, a relatively flat bottom, the top of the bulge, more
is not connected between the clouds; by air convection, condensation from the clouds.
Cumulonimbus
Dense and thick clouds, clouds are huge, like the towering mountains, the top has
started to freeze, white, fuzzy outline, and some have fiber-like structure. Bottom is
very dark, often accompanied by rain or streamers hanging scud.
Cumulonimbus much by water droplets, super cooled water droplets, ice crystals,
snow, and occasionally also contains granular, hail. In the cloud there is a strong
increase in downdraft area, can be observed rate of tens of meters / sec rise downdraft,
and often undulating cloud base.
Cumulonimbus convection reached its apogee stage of development. Mature
cumulonimbus often produce a strong array of precipitation, may be accompanied by
high winds, lightning and other phenomena, sometimes with hail, and occasionally
produce tornadoes.
Stratocumulus
Clouds generally higher, there is a great difference in the thickness, shape, and
some strips, and some into pieces, some into the group. Often has white or gray, the
structure is loose, thin clouds visible position of the sun, relatively thick, dark clouds.
Clouds often have lines or wavy arrangement.
Stratocumulus thickness from a few hundred meters to two thousand meters.
More by the diameter of the water droplets of 5-40 microns. In the winter, there may
also be composed of ice crystals cumulonimbus or snow.
Stratocumulus in most cases, is due to the undulating movement of air turbulence
and mixing so that condensation formed. Intense radiation cooling is sometimes
formed. General said the weather is relatively stable, but gradually thicker
stratocumulus, even fused into layers, said the weather will change. Low and thick
stratocumulus often produce precipitation.
Stratus
Cloud body evenly into layers, like gray fog, low cloud base but not touching the
ground.
Stratus typically 5-30 micron diameter droplets from the super cooled water
droplets or components. Thickness of 400-500 m.
Stratus is a stable situation in the gas reservoir, due to the strong radioactive
cooling at night or so turbulent mixing condensation or fog lifted from. Stratus is
often due to rising temperatures after sunrise, stable layer destruction and subsequent
dissipation. Stratus is also drizzle or Michelle sometimes.
Rain clouds
Rain clouds low and scattershot shaped cloud layer evenly into the body, can be
completely obscured the sun and moon, dark gray or white, often accompanied by
scud cloud base. Horizontal distribution of cloud cover a wide range, often covered
throughout the day. Cloud thickness of 4000-5000 meters.
Generally the lower the rain clouds had cooled by water droplets or water
droplets. Northern rain clouds appear, the upper often by ice or snow crystal
components.
Rain clouds and more clouds appear in the warm front, and (sometimes appear in
other weather systems), sliding layer of moist air from the entire system, the
formation of adiabatic cooling. It often leads to longer continuous precipitation,
Nongyan "the sky gray cloth hanging, rain set rolling" refers to the rain clouds of
precipitation conditions.
The cloud
More from the cloud droplets, supercooled water droplets, ice crystals, or a
mixture of them, and some high clouds can also be composed of a single drop. Cloud
base height is usually between 2500-5000 meters. Altostratus often produce
precipitation, thin altocumulus generally produce no precipitation.
Altostratus
Cloud body into a uniform distribution, white or gray, cloud base often clauses
structure, often seen in frontal cloud system, often covered throughout the day.
Altostratus generally consists of 5-20 micron diameter droplets of supercooled water
droplets and ice crystals, a mixture of snow crystals.
Altocumulus
Clouds smaller, chiseled, there is a great difference in the thickness, level, thin
white clouds, sun and moon visibility profile, thick clouds as dark gray, moon outline
confusion. Often into round and flat, tile massive scale pieces or wavy dense cloud of
water.
Altocumulus by a mixture of water droplets or ice crystals droplets. ASE often
formed due to diffraction outside the blue or red aura China through thin altocumulus.
Causes of altocumulus and stratocumulus are similar. Thin altocumulus becomes
less stable, generally indicates a sunny day, people have "tile cloud, sun Sharen"
"Heaven carp spots, sun valley do not turn" argument. Thick altocumulus if they
continue thickening, fused into layers, then there will be changes in the weather, and
even produce precipitation.
High clouds
High clouds composed entirely of tiny ice crystals. Cloud base height is usually
above 5,000 meters. High clouds generally do not produce precipitation, winter north
cirrostratus, cirrus clouds occasionally dense snowfall, sometimes you can see the
snow streamers.
Cirrus
Cloud body has a fibrous structure, often white, no shadow, hairy silky sheen, and
more into a silk strip, sheet, feathery, hook, dough and so on. Cirrus by ice crystals.
Cirrostratus
Clouds are evenly layered, transparent or milky white, clear outline of the sun and
moon through the clouds, the feature has a shadow, often halo phenomenon.
Cirrostratus thickened reduce system development, multi-impact weather systems
indicates that there is a station, so people have "Midnight Rain halo, halo noon Wind"
and other phrases. However, if no significant development, and even cloud cover
decreases, there will be no significant change in future weather.