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Clouds rest height12/16/2023 ![]() ![]() Thunder sometimes sounds like it comes in waves because of the time it takes the sound to travel. The sound of thunder is actually the sonic shock wave that comes when the air, heated by the lightning bolt, expands very rapidly. Most of what we consider to be single lightning strikes are in fact three or four separate strokes of lightning. ![]() When the electrical field is strong enough, it discharges a superheated bolt of lightning to the Earth. Lightning is formed in a cloud when positively charged particles and negatively charged particles are separated, forming an electrical field. Clouds also produce the bolt of electricity called lightning and the sound of thunder that accompanies it. Clouds and Weather Certain types of clouds produce precipitation. Cumulonimbus clouds gradually become stratocumulus clouds, which rarely produce rain. They usually shrink as evening approaches, and moisture in the air evaporates. Many cumulonimbus clouds occur along cold fronts, where cool air is forced under warm air. Thunderheads produce rain, thunder, and lightning. Cumulonimbus clouds are also called thunderheads. These low-level clouds are full of moisture. Nimbostratus clouds bring continuous precipitation that can last for many hours. ("Nimbus" comes from the Latin word for "rain.") Two examples are the nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds. ![]() Clouds that produce rain and snow fall into this category. The prefix "nimbo-" or the suffix "-nimbus" are low-level clouds that have their bases below 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) above the Earth. They are considered "mid-level" clouds and are mostly made of liquid water droplets, but can have some ice crystals in cold enough temperatures. The prefix "alto-" indicates clouds whose bases are between 2,000 and 6,000 meters (6,500-20,000 feet) above the Earth, such as altocumulus and altostratus clouds. Cirrocumulus and cirrostratus clouds are two examples of these “high-level” clouds. The prefix "cirro-" refers to clouds that lie more than 6,000 meters (20,000 feet) above the Earth. Variations Clouds are also classified according to how high they are in the atmosphere and what kind of weather they produce. Clouds located close to the ground mean heavy snow or rain. The higher the base of a cloud is, the drier the atmosphere and the fairer the weather will be. The weather they bring depends on their height and size. Most forms of heavy precipitation fall from cumulus clouds. Cumulus clouds are created by strong updrafts of warm, moist air. Their name comes from the Latin word meaning "heap" or "pile." They can stretch vertically into the atmosphere up to 12,000 meters (39,000 feet) high. If precipitation falls from stratus clouds, it is usually in the form of drizzle or light snow. The presence of stratus clouds usually means a chilly, overcast day. This movement produces clouds as the moist air is cooled across the entire front. Stratus clouds often form at the boundary of a warm front, where warm, moist air is forced up over cold air. Stratus clouds can blanket the entire sky in a single pattern. Stratus clouds are horizontal and stratified, or layered. Their shape often indicates the direction the wind is blowing high in the atmosphere. Cirrus clouds usually signal clear, fair weather. They are found high in the atmosphere-typically higher than 6,000 meters (20,000 feet)-and are usually made of ice crystals. Cirrus clouds are wispy, curly, or stringy. Clouds are classified into three main groups: cirrus, stratus, and cumulus. Types of Clouds Because certain types of clouds are associated with certain types of weather, it is possible to forecast the weather by observing and understanding these different types of clouds. With further cooling, the water or ice particles that make up the cloud can grow into bigger particles that fall to Earth as precipitation. Moist air becomes cloudy with only slight cooling. Clouds are the visible result of that squeeze of cooler, moist air. Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air, so lowering the temperature of an air mass is like squeezing a sponge. Clouds form when air becomes saturated, or filled, with water vapor. When it’s about to rain, clouds darken because the water vapor is clumping together into raindrops, leaving larger spaces between drops of water. White is how our eyes perceive all wavelengths of sunlight mixed together. Clouds usually appear white because the tiny water droplets inside them are tightly packed, reflecting most of the sunlight that hits them. They can appear thin and wispy, or bulky and lumpy. Clouds differ greatly in size, shape, and color. Clouds are visible accumulations of tiny water droplets or ice crystals in the Earth’s atmosphere. ![]()
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