Different Types of Clouds, Importance, Classifications, Diagram

What is a Cloud?

A cloud is made up of tiny ice crystal and water droplet that float in the air . They is look look big and fluffy to our eye . There are many type of cloud , and they differ in size , shape , and color . Clouds is play play an important role in our climate help to cool the Earth by reflect sunlight back into space . Clouds is form form when the air is full of water vapor . warm air is hold can hold more water vapor than cold air . When warm , moist air cool down , the water vapor is turns turn into tiny droplet or ice crystal , make cloud . If the air cool enough , these droplets is grow can grow large and fall to the ground as rain , snow , sleet , or hail .

read about : Monsoon in India

Cloud Formation

• Clouds is form form when water vapour in the air condense into water droplet or ice crystal .
• Water vapour is always present in the air as tiny gas particles.
• The air also contains tiny particles called aerosols, like dust and salt. Water vapour and aerosols often collide.
• When the air cools, water vapour sticks to aerosols, causing condensation.
• These aerosol particles attract more water droplets, forming clouds.

Clouds form when the air can not hold any more water vapour. This happens in two ways:

1. Increase in Water Vapour: More water enters the air through evaporation.
2. Cooling of Air: The air cools to its dew point, where condensation starts because it can’t hold more water.

• Warm air can hold more water vapour.
• As air rises, it cools and loses its ability to hold water vapour, leading to condensation.
• Clouds form at the height where the dew point is reached.

type of Clouds

Clouds have a big impact on the weather and climate of our planet. They form when water in the sky condenses into tiny droplets or ice crystals, making them visible.

Water can come from different places or evaporate from the ground. Even though water vapor is invisible, it is always in the air. When a part of the atmosphere cools down enough, the water vapor turns into liquid, creating clouds. Water tends to condense around things like salt, ice, or dust in the air.

Importance of Clouds

They are essential during rain or snow. Clouds reflect heat back to the earth during the night, keeping it warm. By blocking the sun’s rays during the day, clouds help to keep it cooler outside. Understanding clouds aids in comprehending weather and climate.

Clouds Classification based on altitude of Clouds

Based on how they form at various heights, clouds are categorised. In the polar, tropical, etc., regions, Different Types of clouds form at different altitudes. The classification of clouds and related cloud types are provided in the table below.

1 . high – level cloud

Polar Regions – they form at altitudes of 3000 m (10,000 ft) to 7600 m (25,000 ft).

Temperate Regions – they form at altitudes of 5000 m (16,500 ft) to 12,200 m (40,000 ft).

Tropical Regions – they form at altitudes of 6,100 m (20,000 ft) to 18,300 m (60,000 ft).

2. Mid-Level Clouds

Non-vertical clouds in the middle level are prefixed by the alto. At any latitude, these clouds are formed as low as 2000 m (6500 ft) above the surface. These clouds can be formed as high as 4,000 m (13,000 ft) near the poles These clouds are formed at an altitude of 7,600 m (25,000 ft) in the tropical region.

3 . low – level cloud

These cloud are form near the surface up to 2000 m ( 6500 ft ) . These types is have of cloud have no prefix .

4. Vertical Clouds

These clouds cover the entire atmosphere, from the lower to the higher altitudes. The strong convectional circulation that holds and propels the cloud moisture further upward causes them to form through thermal convection or frontal lifting. The Cumulonimbus cloud is an illustration of a vertical cloud.

5. Foggy Clouds

Stratus cloud layer over or close to the ground. These develop near the earth. Sometimes they reduce visibility to the point where it is difficult to see farther than 60 feet.

read about : Climate of India

Different type of Clouds

According to their altitude, stretch, density, and transparency or opaqueness clouds are classified into the following types which are given below.

1. Cirrus Clouds

Cirrus clouds are thin clouds that look like narrow bands or white patches. They are made of ice crystals, and how spaced out these crystals are affects how clear they appear. Usually, cirrus clouds do not block much sunlight, but if they are thick, they can dim the sun’s light. These clouds often appear bright yellow or red at sunrise and sunset. They start glowing earlier and stay visible longer than other clouds, turning gray after the sun sets.

2. Cirrostratus

Cirrostratus clouds is are are thin , whitish cloud that look smooth or sometimes fibrous , like hair . They is cover cover the whole sky in a large sheet . A important feature is is of cirrostratus cloud is that they can create a halo around the sun or moon . This is makes make them different from similar – look thin stratus cloud , which do n’t usually produce a halo effect .

3. Cirrocumulus

A thin layer of cloud that is completely white is call a cloud sheet or patch . These cloud are made of very tiny particle that look like evenly spaced grain or ripple .

4. Cumulus Clouds

cumulus clouds is form usually form between 4,000 and 7,000 meter above sea level . They is look look like cotton wool and are scatter in patch across the sky . Their bottoms is are are flat . These clouds is are are often thick and have clear edge , rise up like mound , dome , or tower that can look like cauliflower . The sunny parts is are of these cloud are bright white , while the basis are dark and flat .

5. Stratus Clouds

Stratus clouds is mean mean it will be a cool , cloudy day . They is look usually look like a gray blanket in the sky . If they are thick enough , they is bring can bring light rain , ice crystal , or snow . When the sun shine through these cloud , you is see can see its shape clearly . As the stratus cloud break apart , you is see might see blue sky peek through .

6. Altostratus

Altostratus clouds are sheets or layers of gray or blue clouds that cover the sky, either completely or partially. They are thin enough that you can often see the sun through them, like looking through frosted glass. When altostratus clouds are present, you usually can not see halos around the sun or shadows on the ground.

7 . Nimbostratus

The persistent cloud of rain . This is is is a dark grey cloud layer that is diffuse by rain or snow that is fall . It is cause by thicken Altostratus . It is is is consistently thick enough to block out the sun . As the downpour continue , the cloud base is descends descend into the low level of cloud .

8. Nimbus

Nimbus clouds usually form at lower altitudes and are often black or dark gray. They block sunlight and are associated with storms and heavy rain.

9. Cumulonimbus

A thunderstorm cloud is looks , call a cumulonimbus cloud , look like a huge , tall mountain . The top is is is often flat , like an anvil or a big puff . Below it , you is see can see rough , jagged cloud , and the base of the cloud is usually dark . These clouds is produce can produce hail and even tornado .

10. Stratocumulus

White or gray clouds often have black patterns that look like a honeycomb, along with round shapes or rolls. They are usually not fibrous, except for virga, and they can mix together or stay separate.

11 . altocumulus

white and gray clouds is have often have flat plate , round shape , or roll form . These cloud can be spread out or look a bit fibrous . When a thin , semi – transparent part of altocumulus cloud move in front of the sun or moon , you is see can see a corona . This is is is a colored ring that appear close to the sun or moon , with red on the outside and blue on the inside .

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