Student Activity
Cloud Classification Worksheet
Directions
Sketch each named cloud type into the chart on the next page. Include these
cloud types at the minimum: altocumulus, altostratus, cirrus, cumulus,
cumulonimbus, and stratus. Include as many more as time permits. Be sure
to label each sketch with 1) the name of the cloud and 2) a two-headed arrow
indicating its altitude range. A cumulus cloud is shown as an example.
Below is a summary table of cloud types identified in the GLOBE cloud chart.
Refer to this table as you complete the Cloud Identification Worksheet on the
next page.
Level
Type
Name
High Level
cirrus
stratus
cumulus
Cirrus
Cirrostratus
Cirrocumulus
Middle Level
(alto-)
stratus
cumulus
Altostratus
Altocumulus
stratus
cumulus
Stratus
Stratocumulus
Cumulus
stratus
cumulus
Nimbostratus
Cumulonimbus
Low Level
Low Level
Precipitation
(-nimbus)
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association
Cloud Typing
15
Name________________________________________ Class_______________ Date______________
Cloud Classification Worksheet
50,000
ALTITUDE (feet)
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
5,000
2,500
16
Cloud Typing
cumulus
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association
Student Activity
Cloud Measurement Worksheet
School Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Observer Names: __________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Date: Year_____ Month______ Day______ Study Site: ATM-_______________________
Local Time (hour:min):_________________ Universal Time (hour:min):________________
Cloud Type
High (in the sky):
(Check all types seen)
❑ Cirrus
❑ Cirrocumulus
❑ Altostratus
❑ Altocumulus
❑ Stratus
❑ Stratocumulus
❑ Nimbostratus
❑ Cumulonimbus
❑ Cirrostratus
Middle (of the sky):
(Check all types seen)
Low (in the sky):
(Check all types seen)
❑ Cumulus
Rain or Snow Producing
Clouds:
(Check all types seen)
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association
Cloud Typing
17
Student Activity
Cloud Measurement Worksheet – Page 2
Cloud Cover
Three-quarters or More of the Sky is Visible:
Cloud Cover: (Check One)
No Clouds
❑ 0%-No Clouds
Clear
❑ <10% Clouds
Isolated
❑ 10-25% Clouds
Scattered
❑ 25-50% Clouds
Broken
❑ 50-90% Clouds
Overcast
❑ >90%
View of more than one-quarter or more of the sky is blocked:
❑
Obscured
Why is the view of the sky blocked? (Check all that apply)
❑ Blowing Snow
❑ Heavy Snow
❑ Heavy Rain
❑ Volcanic Ash
❑ Smoke
❑ Dust
❑ Fog
❑ Sand
❑ Spray
❑ Haze
Comments:
“Cloud Measurement Worksheet” adapted from “Atmosphere Investigation, Clouds 1-Measurement Data Sheet,” GLOBE® 2005
Teachers Guide, Atmosphere Section, Appendix 3.
18
Cloud Typing
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association
Student Activity
Cloud Observation Report Sheet
Site: _______________________________________________________________________________
Observer Names: _____________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Date: Year_____ Month______ Day______ Universal Time (hour:min):_________________________
Cloud Description
Photo Interpretation
Horizon
South
Zenith
W
Horizon
East
Horizon
E
West
S
N
North
Horizon
Image Information
Satellite: ______________________
Satellite Image
Remote Sensor: ________________
Image Date: ___________________
Image Time: __________________Z
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association
Cloud Typing
19
Student Activity
Selecting Your Own MODIS Image…
Here is a brief tutorial for identifying and downloading a MODIS image of your
choice of a portion of the continental United States.
 Open your browser and navigate to http://ge.ssec.wisc.edu.
 Click the link for MODIS Today. When the image appears, click the Show All Available
Images button. Pause to allow the thumbnails to develop and display.
 Scan through the thumbnail calendar to select a specific image for the same date as
your recorded cloud observations. (Remember, it may take up to 10 days to process
and post the image – so, be patient.)
 Click the date number on the calendar to see the image full screen.
 The image is divided into 8 sectors (4 across, 2 down). Scroll up/down, left/right to
select the sector with the best view of your geographic location. Notice the blue
rectangle outline defining each section as you move the cursor around the screen.
Left-click once in the sector to zoom in and view that sector alone.
 If you would like to change the view to a different sector, you can either 1) find the
sector selector above the image and click the number for a different sector (USA1-8); or 2)
click the Zoom out button and scroll to a different sector.
 For a closer, more detailed view, change the image resolution from 2000m (default),
where each pixel represents 2000 meters on the ground, to 1000m or 250m by clicking
on the appropriate radio button. (Caution: Higher resolution imagery gives more
detail but also a larger file size for the image. Images of 1000 m resolution have a
downloaded file size of about 85 kb while 250 m resolution image files are 3.3 MB. Be
aware of this if your download data rate or file storage capacity is a problem. Check
with your teacher before downloading an image.)
 Above the image on the left, find the radio button for selecting a MODIS image from
Terra or Aqua. Examine images from each satellite. Select the one that best suits your
needs.
 When ready to download the image, click the Download this image link. The image will
display without coastlines, or state or sectors borders. Right-click the image, select Save
Picture As, (or Ctrl+click on Mac) navigate to the storage location specified by your
teacher, and click Save. The image will be downloaded. Most images are downloaded
as JPG or PNG files. Click your browser’s Back button to return to MODIS Today.
It is strongly recommended that ImageJ be used for image viewing and
analysis. However, any image viewer that will display the image on the screen
and allow for printing is acceptable.
20
Cloud Typing
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association
Student Activity
Selecting Your Own GOES Image…
Using the Geostationary Satellite Server find an infrared GOES image
corresponding to the ground-based cloud observations you recorded. Before
using the GOES Server, note the date, time, and day of the week of the cloud
observations for which you need a matching satellite view.
 Open your browser and navigate to http://www.goes.noaa.gov. Scroll down the left
panel to Special Image Sets and select GOES East Archives or GOES West Archives
depending on your location.
On the GOES Image Search page, you must select the sector, channel, date,
and time of the image you wish to view. Only the last 3-4 weeks of imagery is
held in this archive.
 In the WHAT SECTOR? selector, click CONUS which includes both the eastern or
western United States and adjoining ocean. (HAWAII shifts the view westward to
center on the Hawaiian Islands. ALASKA shifts the view northward to include Alaska.
Hurricane shifts southeast to include more ocean where hurricanes tend to form.)
Click the desired sector.
Find the WHAT CHANNEL? selector. INFRAED shows a thermal infrared
image where lighter grey indicates lower temperature. VISIBLE shows visible
light channels in grey tones. WATER VAPOR shows a different infrared
channel where the lighter grey indicates more concentrated water vapor.
 Click INFRARED.
 In the WHAT DAY? selector, click day of the week that matches your ground-based
cloud observations. In the WHAT WEEK? selector, click the week that matches the date
of your cloud observations record.
In the WHAT TIME? selector find the UTC that most closely matches the time
of your cloud observations. Images are generally posted every 30 minutes.
 In the WHAT TIME? selector, click the selected time.
 Click the Submit Choice button.
 If the image is not available, click the browser’s Back button and select a different
time that is also close to the time of your cloud observations.
 If the image displays, right-click the image, select Save image as (or Ctrl+click on Mac) ,
and save the image on your local hard drive with a file name and location specified by
your teacher.
 Click the browser’s Back button to return to the GOES Image Search page.
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association
Cloud Typing
21
Name________________________________________ Class_______________ Date______________
Cloud Identification Quiz
DIRECTIONS: Study the image below. Locate in the image each of the nine items listed
below the image. Carefully and clearly circle in the image a good example of each item.
Draw a line from the circled item in the image to the matching name of the item in the list.
“Island” has been done for you as an example.
Cirrus cloud
Cumulonimbus cloud
Cumulus cloud
Cyclone
Island
Land
Ocean
Stratus cloud
Thunderstorm
22
Cloud Typing
More Lessons from the Sky, 2011, Satellite Educators Association