mid-level clouds a study in meteorology created by joshua toebbe nohs 2015
TRANSCRIPT
MID-LEVEL CLOUDSA STUDY IN METEOROLOGY
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
CLOUD FORMATION
• FIRST LETS REVIEW HOW CLOUDS FORM
• AS ALTITUDE INCREASES, TEMPERATURE FALLS. WHEN THE TEMPERATURE DROPS LOW ENOUGH WATER CONDENSES.
• THIS IS KNOWN AS THE LIFTED CONDENSATION LEVEL.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
CLOUD FORMATION
• LETS THINK ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF THERMO-DYNAMICS.
• ENERGY IS CONSERVED.
• PRESSURE DECREASES WITH ALTITUDE.
• AIR EXPANDS
• PUSHING ON SURROUNDING AIR.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
CLOUD FORMATION
• THIS PUSHING DOES WORK ON THE SURROUNDING AIR
• BUT SINCE ENERGY MUST BE CONSERVED, FOR THIS WORK TO BE DONE THE TEMPERATURE DROPS
• THIS DROP IN TEMPERATURE CAUSES RISING WATER VAPOR TO CONDENSE.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
CLOUD FORMATION
• WHEN WATER CONDENSES ITS TEMPERATURE DROPS
• BUT IF ENERGY IS CONSERVED THE THERMAL ENERGY HAS TO GO SOMEWHERE.
• IT GOES INTO THE SURROUNDING AIR WARMING IT BACK UP.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
CLOUD FORMATION
• WHEN AN AIR MASS IS WARMER THAN ITS SURROUNDINGS IT RISES
• TEMPERATURE DROPS AGAIN, AND MORE WATER CONDENSES, REPEATING THE PROCESS.
• A RISING AIR MASS IS CALLED AN UNSTABLE AIR MASS.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
CLOUD FORMATION
• ULTIMATELY UNSTABLE AIR CAUSES MULTIPLE LEVELS OF CONDENSATION.
• SOMETIMES THESE ARE CLOSE TOGETHER, OTHER TIMES THEY ARE FAR APART.
• OVERALL TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, AND PRESSURE COME INTO PLAY AT THIS POINT.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
MID-LEVEL CLOUDS
ON TO THE CLOUDS!
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
MID-LEVEL CLOUDS
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Fam.Genus Species Variety Features
Mid Level
Altocumulus Castellanus Lacunosus Mamma Floccus Opacus Virga Lenticularis Perlucidus Stratiformis Radiatus
Translucidus
Altostratus (none) Lacunosus Mamma Opacus Praecipitatio Perlucidus Virga Radiatus
Translucidus
ALTOCUMULUS CLOUDS
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Lenticularis
FloccusStratiformis
Castellanus
ALTOSTRATUS CLOUDS
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
VARIETIES
• RADIATUS – CLOUDS THAT FORM PARALLEL LINES (LIKE A RAILROAD)
• LACUNOSUS – CONTAINING HOLES
• OPACUS – DOES NOT TRANSMIT LIGHT
• PERLUCIDUS – TRANSMITS LIGHT IN SOME PLACES (NOT IN OTHERS)
• TRANSLUCIDUS – TRANSMITS LIGHT
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
FEATURES
• MAMMA – BULBOUS UNDERLYING PROTRUSIONS
• PRAECIPITATIO - PRECIPITATION
• VIRGA – PRECIPITATION, EVAPORATES BEFORE GROUND-FALL.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
SO WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
• TIME TO LOOK AT THE WEATHER PREDICTIONS…
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
MID-LEVEL CLOUDS (6,500-23,000 FT)
• MID LEVEL CLOUDS GENERALLY BLOCK SUNLIGHT (BUT NOT ALWAYS)
• ALTOSTRATUS
• INDICATE A STORM IN THE NEAR FUTURE
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
MID-LEVEL CLOUDS (6,500-23,000 FT)
• MID LEVEL CLOUDS GENERALLY BLOCK SUNLIGHT (BUT NOT ALWAYS)
• ALTOCUMULUS
• MORNING PRESENCE INDICATES AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS
• AFTERNOON PRESENCE INDICATES FAIR EVENING AND NIGHT
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
EXAMPLE #1
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Altocumulus Stratiformis Lacunosus
Afternoon StormMorning
EXAMPLE #2
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Altostratus Opacus
Storm (soon)
EXAMPLE #3
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Morning:
AltocumulusStratiformisLacunosus
Fair Weather
afternoon
EXAMPLE #4
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Altocumulus Castellanus
Fair Weather
Afternoon
EXAMPLE #5
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Altostratus Mamma
Storm (soon)Morning
EXAMPLE #6
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Altocumulus Floccus
Fair WeatherAfternoon
EXAMPLE #7
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Altocumulus Floccus
Afternoon Storm
Morning
EXAMPLE #8
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Cumulus MediocrisRadiatus
Fair Weather (possible rain in
future)
EXAMPLE #9
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Cumulus Congestus,Altocumulus Stratiformis
Coming Storm
EXAMPLE #10
• IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLOUDS AND THE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH.
Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015
Cumulus Humilis, Altocumulus Floccus
Possible Afternoon StormMorning
SOURCES
• INTEGRATED PUBLISHING INC. (N.D.) AEROGRAPHER’S MATE, MODULE 01—SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. RETRIEVED FEB. 9, 2015 FROM HTTP://METEOROLOGYTRAINING.TPUB.COM/
• SECTIONHIKER.COM (OCT. 2008) HOW TO PREDICT THE WEATHER WITH CLOUDS. RETRIEVED FEB. 9, 2015 FROM HTTP://SECTIONHIKER.COM/PREDICTING-THE-WEATHER-USING-CLOUDS/ Created by Joshua Toebbe NOHS 2015