Clouds and Precipitation
Main Idea: Water Vapor and ice form clouds that produce precipitation.
Clouds are made up of tiny water droplets or ice crystals
How Do Clouds Form?
The air is filled with water vapor. When the air is cooled, the water
vapor or water molecules come together and clump around dust or
other particles. They form droplets of water.
Clouds look different depending on what they are made of.
All clouds form in the troposphere.
3 Basic Kinds
1. Stratus- form blanket like layers
2. Cumulus- puffy, that look like they come from a flat bottom
3. Cirrus- have very wispy, feather like shape. Form very high
altitudes out of ice crystals.
If rain or snow comes falls from a cloud, nimbo or nimbus
(meaning rain) is added to the name.
o Ex: Cumulonimbus
Clouds are grouped by height and form
o Low clouds, middle clouds, high clouds and clouds that
develop upwards
o Fog- when moist air cools at ground level and forms low to
the ground.
What is Precipitation?
Precipitation- any form of water particles that falls from the atmosphere
and reaches the ground.
Ex:
o
Rain
o
Sleet
o
Snow
o
Hail
Can be liquid (rain) or solid (snow)
Precipitation happens when cloud droplets come together and
become heavy enough to fall. The clouds can not hold all the
moisture.
Are cloud type and precipitation related?
(see D47)
How Do You Record How Cloudy It Is?
Terms to use:
o Clear
o Scattered clouds
o Partly cloudy
o Mostly cloudy
o overcast