Download Cloud Types

Cloud Types
Get Your Head Out of the Clouds!
Clouds
RAIN DROPS KEEP FALLING
ON MY HEAD
Clouds
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What are clouds?
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Clouds are made of teeny
tiny itsy bitsy water
droplets and dust.
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The average rain drop is
100 times larger than
cloud droplets.
How are clouds formed?
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All air contains water. We call this humidity.
Water vapor is an invisible gas.
When this water vapor rises it expands and
cools.
Cool air cannot hold as much water vapor as
warm air.
The water vapor condenses into water droplets
on tiny pieces of dust that float in the air.
When billions of these droplets come together
they form a cloud.
Types of Clouds
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High Clouds- Cirrus (Above 23,000ft) 2
Middle Clouds- Alto (6,500- 23,000ft) 1
Low Clouds- Stratus (Up to 6,500ft) 1
Clouds with vertical growth
Special Clouds
2
2
Types of Clouds
High Clouds- Cirrus
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Cirrus Clouds- Are the most common of the
high clouds.
Look like thin wispy white clouds.
They are usually made of ice.
High Clouds- Cirrus
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Cirrostratus clouds- Are made of ice and create a
halo around the sun.
Middle Clouds- Alto
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Altocumulus Clouds- These are middle clouds
made of water droplets.
They appear as grey and white puffy masses.
(Like small little marshmallows)
Low Clouds- Stratus
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Nimbostratus Clouds- Form a dark grey cloud.
These clouds are responsible for continuous rain
fall.
These are the clouds that make you want to stay in bed!
Vertical Growth
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Cumulus Clouds- These are white puffy clouds.
(they look like cotton candy)
They produce little or no rain.
Vertical Growth
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Cumulonimbus Clouds- Are known as
thunderstorm clouds.
They produce heavy rain, snow, hail, lightning
and are the clouds that create tornados.
High winds can flatten the top into an anvil
shape.
Special Clouds
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Fog- this is a cloud on the ground.
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Contrails- These are condensation trails left
behind from jets and aircrafts.