Dream Interpretation of Udilova 

What are clouds formed from and what types are they divided into? Cloud shapes. What types of clouds are there? Atmospheric clouds

Cirrus clouds (Cirrus, Ci) have a thickness from hundreds of meters to several kilometers. They consist of ice crystals in the form of needles, columns, plates. The luminaries shine through them. There are different types of cirrus clouds: filamentous, claw-shaped, tower-shaped, dense, flocculent, entangled, radial, ridge-shaped, double .

Cirrocumulus clouds (Cirrocumulus, Cc) characterized by a small width - 200–400 m. The structure of the clouds is lumpy. They are transparent. There are wavy, cumulus with turrets, and flocculus varieties of cirrocumulus clouds.

Cirrostratus clouds (Cirrostratus, Cs) They look like a white or bluish translucent veil. Their thickness ranges from 100 m to several kilometers.

Altocumulus (Ac) They look like white, sometimes grayish waves, consisting of plates or flakes separated by gaps in the blue sky, but they can also merge into a continuous cover. The thickness of the layer of altocumulus clouds is about 200–700 m. Rain and snow fall from them.

Altostratus clouds (Altostratus, As) form a continuous gray or bluish “carpet” in the sky with the lower boundary usually at an altitude of 3–5 km. The thickness of the cloud layers is 1–2 km.

High-layered translucent (Altostratus translucidus, As trans)

Stratocumulus clouds (Nimbostratus, Ns) - these are gray clouds consisting of large ridges, waves, plates, separated by gaps or merging into a continuous gray wavy cover. Consist mainly of drops. The thickness of the layer is from 200 to 800 m. Precipitation, as a rule, does not fall. Stratocumulus clouds can be wavy, cumuliform, dissecting, or vesicular.

Stratus clouds (Stratus, St) are a uniform gray or gray-yellow cover. There are different types: foggy, wavy and torn. Under the veil of stratus clouds, torn- rain clouds.

Nimbostratus the clouds look like a solid gray veil, covering the entire sky in the form of ridges and shafts. They consist of water droplets, rarely mixed with snowflakes. The lower base of the clouds can fall below 100 m, and the upper one can extend above 5 km. This type of cloud produces heavy precipitation.

Cumulus clouds (Cumulus, Cu) They are divided into cumulus, medium cumulus and powerful cumulus. Thickness is 1-2 km, sometimes 3-5 km. The upper parts of cumulus clouds look like domes or towers with rounded outlines.

Cumulonimbus (Cb)- very powerful cloud accumulations; they are “bald” and “hairy”, with a thunderous arched shaft in front.

Unusually shaped clouds

Rarely found, most often in the tropics. Their appearance is associated with the formation of tropical cyclones.

is also a very rare occurrence.

From the surface of the Earth, all clouds appear to be at approximately the same height. However, there can be huge distances between them, equal to several kilometers. But what are the highest and lowest of them? This post has it all necessary information to become a cloud expert!

10. Stratus clouds ( average height- 300-450 m)

Wikipedia information: Stratus clouds are low-level clouds characterized by horizontal layering with a uniform layer, in contrast to cumuliform clouds, which are formed by rising warm currents.

More specifically, the term "stratus" is used to describe flat, misty clouds at the bottom, ranging in color from dark gray to almost white.

9. Cumulus clouds (average height - 450-2000 m)


Wikipedia information: "Cumulus" is Latin for "heap, heap." Cumulus clouds are often described as "plump", "cotton-like" or "fluffy" in appearance and have a flat base.

Being low level clouds, they are usually less than 1000 meters in height unless they are a more vertical form of cumulus cloud. Cumulus clouds can appear alone, in lines, or in clusters.

8. Stratocumulus clouds (average height - 450-2000 m)


Wikipedia information: Stratocumulus clouds are a type of cloud characterized by large, dark, round masses, usually in the form of groups, lines or waves, the individual elements of which are larger than those of altocumulus clouds, forming at a lower altitude, usually below 2400 meters .

Weak convective air currents create shallow layers of clouds due to the drier, still air above them, preventing their further vertical development.

7. Cumulonimbus clouds (average height - 450-2000 m)


Wikipedia information: Cumulonimbus clouds are dense, towering vertical clouds associated with thunderstorms and atmospheric instability, formed from water vapor carried by powerful updrafts.

Cumulonimbus clouds can form alone, in clusters, or as a squall along a cold front. These clouds are capable of producing lightning and other severe hazards. weather conditions, such as tornadoes.

6. Nimbostratus clouds (average height - 900-3000 m)


Wikipedia information: Nimbostratus clouds usually produce precipitation over a large area. They have a diffuse base, usually located somewhere near the surface at the lower levels and at an altitude of about 3000 meters at the middle levels.

Although nimbostratus clouds usually occur dark color at the base, they are often illuminated from within when viewed from the surface of the Earth.

5. Altostratus clouds (average height - 2000-7000 m)


Wikipedia information: Altostratus clouds are a type of mid-level cloud belonging to the stratiform physical category, which is characterized by a generally uniform layer whose color varies from gray to bluish-green.

They are lighter than nimbostratus clouds and darker than tall cirrostratus clouds. The Sun can be seen through thin altostratus clouds, but thicker clouds may have a denser, opaque structure.

4. Altocumulus clouds (average height - 2000-7000 m)


Wikipedia information: Altocumulus clouds are a type of mid-level cloud that belongs primarily to the stratocumulus physical category, characterized by spherical masses or ridges in layers or sheets, the individual elements of which are larger and darker than those of cirrocumulus clouds, and smaller. than that of stratocumulus clouds.

However, if the layers become flocculent due to increased instability of the air mass, then altocumulus clouds become more cumuliform in structure.

3. Cirrus clouds (average height - 5000-13,500 m)


Wikipedia information: Cirrus clouds are a type of atmospheric cloud typically characterized by thin, thread-like filaments.

Cloud filaments sometimes form into bundles of characteristic shapes known as common name"mare's tails" Cirrus clouds are usually white or light gray in color.

2. Cirrostratus clouds ( intermediate level- 5000-13.500 m)


Wikipedia information: Cirrostratus clouds are a type of thin, whitish stratus clouds composed of ice crystals. They are difficult to detect and are capable of forming a halo when they take the form of a thin cirrostratus cloud.

1. Cirrocumulus clouds (average height - 5000-13,500 m)


Wikipedia information: Cirrocumulus clouds are one of the three main types of upper-level tropospheric clouds (the other two are cirrus and cirrostratus clouds). Like lower-level cumulus clouds, cirrocumulus clouds signify convection.

Unlike other tall cirrus and cirrostratus, cirrocumulus consists of a small number of transparent water droplets, although they are in a supercooled state.

1. Classification of clouds.

2. Microphysics of clouds.

3. Light phenomena in clouds.

4. Electricity of clouds and precipitation.

5. Daily allowance and annual course cloudiness.

1. Cloud classification

Clouds are one of the most interesting phenomena nature. In that complex complex of elements and phenomena that is united by the concept of weather, clouds play a decisive role. They change the thermal and radiation regime of the atmosphere and thereby have a great influence on many aspects of human activity. First of all - on rural production, forestry, various types transport (especially aviation). Until now, clouds and fog significantly affect the takeoff, landing and flight of an aircraft. An airplane flying in the clouds is accompanied by:

    severe decrease in visibility;

    the occurrence of glaciation;

    “bumpy” (a consequence of developed turbulence).

Cloud - a visible collection of suspended drops of water or ice crystals located at some height above the earth's surface.

Cloud – fog at altitude (V.I. Dal).

From the point of view of microphysical structure, there is no fundamental difference between clouds and fogs. But they differ significantly in the conditions for the formation of vertical thickness, water content and other parameters.

Clouds – systems suspended in the atmosphere (not at the very earth's surface) products of condensation (condensation) of water vapor - water droplets, ice crystals, both together. They are called cloud elements (Meteorological Dictionary, 1974).

Clouds arise from the condensation of water vapor in the atmosphere. They are formed either as a result of a general increase in moisture content in the atmosphere, or under the influence of a decrease in air temperature. But in real conditions, both of these factors play a role. Temperature reduction can occur as a result of adiabatic cooling, radiation, and turbulent mixing.

The duration of a cloud's existence can vary widely. A cumulus cloud can last for 10–15 minutes, while another can last for several hours. While the cloud exists, there is a continuous process of cloud formation in it: some elements evaporate, others fall out, and others appear anew.

The variety of cloud shapes observed in nature in all possible combinations is the result of complex processes developing in the atmosphere.

The structure of clouds and associated precipitation can be used to judge the state of the atmosphere at at the moment and (more importantly) about its upcoming changes. By the way, before the start of systematic aerological sounding, clouds were an important element of the so-called indirect aerology, since clouds were used to judge processes in the lower half of the troposphere.

Clouds are classified according to several criteria:

    by the phase state of cloud elements;

    by shape and height of location;

    by origin.

By phase state cloud elements clouds are divided into classes:

    water (drip);

    mixed;

    icy (crystalline).

Mermen (drip) clouds consist only of drops. They can exist at both positive and negative (down to -10°C and below) temperatures. These are altocumulus, stratus, and cumulus.

Mixed clouds consist of a mixture of supercooled droplets and ice crystals. They can exist, as a rule, at temperatures from -10 to -40°C. They are formed as a result of the appearance of crystals in a water cloud, or as a result of crystals entering a water cloud from the outside. Mixed clouds produce precipitation. These are altostratus, nimbostratus, cumulonimbus; at low temperatures sometimes also altocumulus, stratocumulus, stratocumulus.

Icy (crystalline) clouds consist only of ice crystals. They can only exist at temperatures below -40°C. These are all the clouds of the upper tier: cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, as well as the tops of cumulonimbus clouds.

By shape and height of location The shapes of clouds in the troposphere are varied and variable. But they can be reduced to a relatively small number of types. The first and most successful classification of clouds was proposed in 1803 by the English pharmacologist Luke Howard. Until now it is considered unsurpassed. It turned out to be so simple and accurate that meteorologists still use it today. At the end of the 19th century, an international classification of clouds was adopted. Since the 1980s, photographs have been used to classify clouds. They are currently combined in the International Cloud Atlas. In the modern version of the international classification, clouds are divided into

Three types: cirrus, stratus, cumulus;

Ten genera (forms) - a combination of three types;

In each form, types, varieties and additional features are distinguished.

Top 10 Cloud Shapes

    Cirrus (Ci)

Upper tier

    Cirrocumulus (Cc)

    Cirrostratus (Cs)

    Altostratified (As)

Middle tier

    Altocumulus (Ac)

    Stratocumulus (Sc)

Lower tier

    Layered (St)

    Nimbostratus (Ns)

    Cumulus (Cu)

Vertical development

    Cumulonimbus (Cb)

According to the height of their location: clouds are conventionally divided into three tiers: upper, middle and lower (Table 8). Clouds of vertical development are also distinguished: the base of these clouds lies in the lower tier, and the top is in the middle or upper tier.

Table 8 – Height of clouds of different tiers depending on latitude, km

Brief description various forms clouds

Upper tier – icy, white, not obscuring the Sun.

Cirrus clouds(Ci) consist of individual pinnate elements in the form of thin white threads or white tufts and elongated ridges. They have a fibrous structure and a silky shine. Because of strong winds they have the characteristic shape of elongated, disheveled “mare’s tails.” They have a significant vertical extent (on the order of hundreds of meters).

Types: thread-like, claw-shaped, tower-shaped, dense, flocculent.

Varieties: entangled, radial, ridge-shaped, double.

Cirrocumulus clouds(Ss) – tall and fluffy, consisting of individual formations (very small grains, flakes, balls, curls). They resemble ripples on the surface of water or sand. They often form beautiful regular waves: “the sky is filled with lambs.”

Varieties: wavy, holey.

Sometimes they give falling streaks.

Cirrostratus clouds(Cs) : ice veil, thin, milky white, transparent. The sun shines through them so brightly that rings (halos) and sometimes false suns appear around it. The thickness of the layer ranges from hundreds of meters to a kilometer.

Types: thread-like, foggy.

Varieties: double, wavy.

Middle tier

Altocumulus clouds(Ac) at medium altitudes look like flakes or rollers of white or gray color. Unlike cirrocumulus clouds, which are higher, they always have darker edges. These are quite thin clouds. Altocumulus clouds are characterized by optical phenomena such as iridescence and crowns.

Types: layered, lenticular, tower-shaped, flocculent.

Varieties: translucent, with gaps, double, wavy, radial, perforated.

Features: fall stripes, snake-like character.

High-layered(As) cover the sky entirely or partially. The Sun or Moon can shine through individual clouds, which are less dense. In this case, they are visible as if through glass, in the form of blurry spots. These are typical mixed clouds. They give light precipitation. No halo is observed.

The species do not differ.

Varieties: translucent, non-translucent, double, wavy, radial.

Features: the lower surface sometimes has a whisk-like appearance; Patches of lower clouds are often observed beneath the As layer.

Lower tier

Nimbostratus(Ns): Gray cloud cover, often gloomy in appearance, appearing washed out. The layer of clouds is thicker than that of high-stratus clouds, so the Sun and Moon do not shine through them. These clouds are found in the lower and middle, and often in the upper tiers. These are mixed clouds: in the lower part they consist of large drops and snowflakes, and in the upper part they consist of small drops and small snowflakes (like As).

Species and varieties are not distinguished.

Features: Fall streaks, cloud patches.

Stratocumulus(Sc) often form from upper cumulus clouds as they rise and spread outward. If you look at them from an airplane, they look like a wavy blanket of rollers and protrusions with gaps. Rollers, disks, slabs are white but always with darker areas, have a greater extent than Ac (> 5°). These are water (drip) clouds, so they do not produce precipitation.

Types: layered, lenticular, tower-shaped.

Varieties: translucent, with gaps, non-transparent, double, wavy, radial, perforated.

Features: barnacle-shaped, structure of the lower surface.

Layered(St) are aqueous or mixed, look like a homogeneous gray layer. At low density, the Sun shines through them, while it has clear outlines. Stratus clouds may produce drizzle and, in winter, ice needles, fine snow, snow grains. The thickness of the layer is up to several hundred meters.

Types: foggy, torn.

Varieties: non-transparent, translucent, wavy.

Clouds of vertical development

Cumulus(Cu) dense clouds with sharply defined contours. They develop upward, forming dense white tops, similar to cauliflower, the bases of the clouds are relatively dark. Vertical thickness varies widely:

for flat ones - tens and hundreds of meters;

for powerful ones - more than 5 km.

These are water clouds (made up of droplets), so they do not produce precipitation (except in the tropics, where light rain can fall from powerful cumulus clouds).

Types: flat, medium, powerful, torn.

Varieties: radiating.

Features: hat, fall stripes.

Cumulonimbus(Cb) larger and darker, the result of further vertical development of the cumulus. The vertical thickness of cumulonimbus clouds can vary from 3 to 15 km. They greatly change the illumination (reduce it) as they block the Sun. These are mixed clouds: there are drops in the lower part, drops and crystals in the middle, and crystals in the upper part. It is Cb that is associated with showers, thunderstorms, squalls, and tornadoes. Rare in polar latitudes.

Types: bald, hairy.

Features: fall stripes, tufts, anvil, hump-like protrusions, cap, veil, collar, and occasionally trunk.

By origin genetic types of clouds are distinguished:

    Intra-mass

a) convection clouds, b) clouds of stable masses.

    Frontal

a) ascending clouds, b) orographic clouds.

In the first genetic type (intramass) there are convection clouds and clouds of stable air masses.

Convection clouds arise as a result of air cooling in vertical ascending currents. In the first stage of development of thermal convection, when it is only a type of turbulent movement, these are flat cumulus clouds, as well as fractus cumulus; when well-formed ascending currents of significant speed (3.6 m/s or more) occur, powerful cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds arise. In the middle layer, some types of altocumulus clouds are associated with convection: tower-shaped and flocculent.

Cumulus or convective clouds look like isolated cloud masses. They are highly developed vertically and have a small (average) horizontal extension.

As a result of uneven heating of the earth's surface by the Sun, “bubbles” of warm air are formed in some places, which rise upward and fall into layers of colder air (thermals). There they cool, the water vapor in them condenses, and clouds form (Figure 30). These bubbles, or convection cells, last no more than 20 minutes with rare exceptions. Often several cells form in one place, then the cloud can last for about an hour.

According to studies using photogrammetry from the ground and during observations in flight, a convective cloud consists of individual flows that have the form of a jet or thermal (bubble). On average, the diameter of the jets at the earth's surface (and up to a height of about 3000 meters) is 60 meters, and the average concentration of flows is 40 jets per 1 km 2. The size of convective flows in powerful cumulus clouds is much larger than outside them (in the cloud d ~ 90 m, below it - 50 m).

Figure 30 – Scheme of the occurrence of thermal convection (Oblaka, 2007)

In connection with the development of a convective cloud in the troposphere, the following levels are distinguished:

a) the level of condensation practically coincides with the lower boundary of the cloud; Zк

b) the level of the zero isotherm, separating the supercooled (upper) part of the cloud from the non-supercooled one; Zo

c) the level of free convection, almost coinciding with the upper boundary of the cloud.

Layers with temperature inversions retard convection and prevent further development of cumulus cloud tops.

Dynamic convection is caused by the forced rise of warm air when flowing around an obstacle. The role of an obstacle can be played by a mountain ridge (Figure 31) or a frontal surface with a steep angle of inclination.

Convection clouds develop in unstable air masses (in cold air masses moving over a warm surface; local air masses over land in summer) are called cumuliformes (not cumulus).

Clouds of stable air masses arise due to air cooling from the underlying surface, dynamic turbulence and wave movements in the atmosphere. This subtype of clouds includes stratus, stratocumulus and altocumulus. They have a pronounced wavy structure, which is why they are called wavy.

Figure 31 – Scheme of the occurrence of dynamic convection when air flows over the ridge (Oblaka, 2007)

Wave movements of very different amplitudes and wavelengths are observed in the atmosphere. Under the influence of such movements, under certain conditions, wavy clouds can form, which have the appearance of a horizontally distributed (tens and hundreds of kilometers) layer consisting of disks, plates, and shafts (Figure 32). These clouds have on average a small vertical thickness (several tens or hundreds of meters), but in some cases - up to 2–3 km.

Figure 32 – Scheme of the formation of wavy clouds under the inversion layer

(Clouds, 2007)

According to modern data, wavy clouds are formed as a result of the transfer of clouds of other shapes from areas of low pressure to areas of high pressure and their further transformation. An inversion layer forms beneath existing clouds as a result of downward air movements. In addition to free waves, forced standing waves can occur in the atmosphere over mountains through which air flows. In this case, clouds of obstacles form.

Frontal clouds . In connection with fronts, huge cloud systems arise, stretching along the front line for thousands of kilometers and hundreds of kilometers wide. Such clouds are called upslide clouds. A front separates a flat wedge of cold air from a layer of warm air lying next to and above it. Warm air slowly rises along the cold wedge, which leads to adiabatic cooling of thick layers and condensation of water vapor (Figure 33). The result is a thick cloud layer. Such clouds are called stratiform. The thickest clouds (several kilometers) are nimbostratus clouds. Further from the front line they give way to highly stratified, cirrus-stratified. At a distance of many hundreds of kilometers from the front line, ridges of cirrus clouds are observed. Frontal clouds may intensify as the front approaches the mountain range.

Figure 33 – Scheme of the formation of ascending sliding clouds (Oblaka, 2007)

In addition, there are:

    Clouds volcanic eruptions– cumulus clouds that appear over volcanoes during an eruption. They are distinguished by rapid development and abundant clubs. They consist of dust (ash) and water droplets, sometimes giving precipitation. Electrical phenomena may be associated with them.

    Damming clouds (slowing down the horizontal transport of air as it moves onto the underlying surface with increased friction, especially in front of mountain ranges and massifs).

    Fire clouds are formed due to the formation of strong upward convection currents over large (forest) fires. Contain combustion products (smoke, soot, ash). They often have a gloomy appearance.

Light, fluffy and airy clouds - they float above our heads every day and make us raise our heads up and admire the bizarre shapes and original figures. Sometimes it breaks through amazing view a rainbow, and sometimes in the morning or evening during sunset or sunrise the clouds light up sun rays, giving them an incredible, spirit-enchanting shade. Scientists have been studying air clouds and other types of clouds for a long time. They gave answers to the questions of what kind of phenomenon this is and what types of clouds there are.

In fact, it is not so easy to give an explanation. Because they consist of ordinary droplets of water, which were lifted up by warm air from the surface of the Earth. The most large number water vapor is formed over the oceans (at least 400 thousand cubic kilometers of water evaporate here in one year), on land - four times less.

And since in the upper layers of the atmosphere it is much colder than below, the air there cools down quite quickly, the steam condenses, forming tiny particles of water and ice, as a result of which white clouds appear. It can be argued that each cloud is a kind of moisture generator through which water passes.

Water in the cloud is in gaseous, liquid and solid states. Water in the cloud and the presence of ice particles in them affect appearance clouds, its formation, as well as the nature of precipitation. It is the type of cloud that determines the water in the cloud; for example, in shower clouds there is greatest number water, and for nimbostratus this figure is 3 times less. Water in a cloud is also characterized by the amount that is stored in them - the cloud's water reserve (water or ice contained in a cloud column).

But everything is not so simple, because in order for a cloud to form, droplets need condensation grains - tiny particles of dust, smoke or salt (if we are talking about the sea), to which they must stick and around which they must form. This means that even if the air composition is completely supersaturated with water vapor, without dust it will not be able to turn into a cloud.

What exact shape the droplets (water) will take depends primarily on temperature indicators in the upper layers of the atmosphere:

  • if the atmospheric air temperature exceeds -10°C, white clouds will consist of water droplets;
  • if the temperature of the atmosphere begins to fluctuate between -10°C and -15°C, then the composition of the clouds will be mixed (drip + crystalline);
  • if the temperature in the atmosphere is below -15°C, the white clouds will contain ice crystals.

After appropriate transformations, it turns out that 1 cm3 of cloud contains about 200 drops, and their radius will be from 1 to 50 μm (average values ​​are from 1 to 10 μm).

Cloud classification

Everyone has probably wondered what types of clouds are there? Typically, cloud formation occurs in the troposphere, the upper limit of which in polar latitudes is 10 km away, in temperate latitudes - 12 km, in tropical latitudes - 18 km. Other species can often be observed. For example, pearlescent ones are usually located at an altitude of 20 to 25 km, and silver ones - from 70 to 80 km.


Basically, we have the opportunity to observe tropospheric clouds, which are divided into the following types of clouds: upper, middle and lower tiers, as well as vertical development. Almost all of them (except for the last type) appear when moist, warm air rises to the top.

If air masses the troposphere is in calm state, cirrus, stratus clouds (cirostratus, altostratus and nimbostratus) form and if the air in the troposphere moves in waves, cumulus clouds (cirocumulus, altocumulus and stratocumulus) appear.

Upper clouds

We are talking about cirrus, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus clouds. Sky clouds look like feathers, waves or a veil. All of them are translucent and more or less freely transmit the sun's rays. They can be either extremely thin or quite dense (cirrostratus), which means it is harder for light to get through them. Cloud weather signals the approach of a heat front.

Cirrus clouds can also occur above the clouds. They are arranged in stripes that cross the vault of heaven. In the atmosphere they are located above the clouds. As a rule, sediment does not fall out of them.

In middle latitudes, white upper-level clouds are usually located at an altitude of 6 to 13 km, in tropical latitudes they are located much higher (18 km). In this case, the thickness of the clouds can range from several hundred meters to hundreds of kilometers, which can be located above the clouds.


The movement of upper-tier clouds across the sky primarily depends on wind speed, so it can vary from 10 to 200 km/h. The sky of the cloud consists of small ice crystals, but the weather of the clouds does not provide practical precipitation (and if it does, there is no way to measure them at the moment).

Mid-level clouds (from 2 to 6 km)

These are cumulus clouds and stratus clouds. In temperate and polar latitudes they are located at a distance of 2 to 7 km above the Earth; in tropical latitudes they can rise a little higher - up to 8 km. All of them have a mixed structure and consist of water droplets mixed with ice crystals. Since the height is small, warm time In years, they mainly consist of water droplets; in cold years, they consist of ice droplets. True, precipitation from them does not reach the surface of our planet - it evaporates on the way.

Cumulus clouds are slightly transparent and are located above the clouds. The color of the clouds is white or gray, darkened in places, looking like layers or parallel rows of rounded masses, shafts or huge flakes. Hazy or wavy stratus clouds are a veil that gradually obscures the skies.

They are mainly formed when cold front displaces the warm one to the top. And, although precipitation does not reach the ground, the appearance of middle-tier clouds almost always (except, perhaps, tower-shaped ones) signals a change in the weather for the worse (for example, a thunderstorm or snowfall). This happens due to the fact that in itself cold air much heavier than warm air and moving along the surface of our planet, it very quickly displaces heated air masses upward - therefore, because of this, with a sharp vertical rise of warm air, first white clouds of the middle tier are formed, and then rain clouds, the sky of which carries thunder and lightning .

Low clouds (up to 2 km)

Stratus clouds, nimbus clouds, and cumulus clouds contain water droplets that freeze into snow and ice particles during the cold season. They are located quite low - at a distance of 0.05 to 2 km and are a dense, uniform low-overhanging cover, rarely located above clouds (other types). The color of the clouds is gray. Stratus clouds look like large shafts. Cloudy weather is often accompanied by precipitation (light rain, snow, fog).

Clouds of vertical development (conventions)

Cumulus clouds themselves are quite dense. The shape is a bit like a dome or tower with rounded outlines. Cumulus clouds can become torn in gusty winds. They are located at a distance of 800 meters from the earth's surface and above, the thickness ranges from 1 to 5 km. Some of them are capable of transforming into cumulonimbus clouds and located above the clouds.


Cumulonimbus clouds can be quite high altitude(up to 14 km). Their lower levels contain water, the upper levels contain ice crystals. Their appearance is always accompanied by showers, thunderstorms, and in some cases, hail.

Cumulus and cumulonimbus, unlike other clouds, are formed only with a very rapid vertical rise of moist air:

  1. Moist warm air rises extremely intensely.
  2. At the top, droplets of water freeze, upper part the clouds become heavier, descend and stretch towards the wind.
  3. A quarter of an hour later a thunderstorm begins.

Upper atmosphere clouds

Sometimes in the sky you can observe clouds that are located in the upper layers of the atmosphere. For example, at an altitude of 20 to 30 km, pearlescent sky clouds form, which consist mainly of ice crystals. And before sunset or sunrise, you can often see silver clouds, which are located in the upper layers of the atmosphere, at a distance of about 80 km (interestingly, these celestial clouds were discovered only in the 19th century).

Clouds in this category can be located above the clouds. For example, a cap cloud is a small, horizontal, and highly stratus cloud that is often found above clouds, namely cumulonimbus and cumulus. This type of cloud can form above an ash cloud or fire cloud during volcanic eruptions.

How long do clouds live?

The life of clouds directly depends on the humidity of the air in the atmosphere. If there is little of it, they evaporate quite quickly (for example, there are white clouds that last no more than 10-15 minutes). If there is a lot, they can last quite a while long time, wait for certain conditions to form, and fall to Earth in the form of precipitation.


No matter how long a cloud lives, it is never in an unchanged state. The particles that make it up constantly evaporate and reappear. Even if outwardly the cloud does not change its height, in fact it is in constant movement, since the droplets in it descend, move into the air under the cloud and evaporate.

Cloud at home

White clouds are fairly easy to make at home. For example, one Dutch artist learned to create it in his apartment. To do this, at a certain temperature, level of humidity and lighting, he released a little steam from a smoke machine. The cloud that turns out is able to last for several minutes, which will be quite enough to photograph an amazing phenomenon.

Clouds fly across the sky, high above our heads. They often attract the attention of adults and children. It is not surprising that you may have many questions about how clouds appear, what they are made of, how they float in the sky, what they are like, etc. In this article you will get answers to all these questions and be able to satisfy your curiosity.

What are clouds made of?

Clouds are made up of many tiny water droplets or ice crystals floating in the sky at different altitudes.

How are clouds formed?

As the Sun heats the water, it turns into a gas called water vapor. This process is called evaporation. As water vapor rises to the sky, it cools. The higher you go, the cooler the air. Eventually, the steam becomes cool enough and condenses into water droplets, forming the clouds we see in the sky.

How do clouds float across the sky?

Clouds are lighter than the surrounding air. This means they can literally float across the sky. At the same time, air flows can increase their speed.

When clouds accumulate a lot of moisture and become heavy, it begins to rain, hail or snow.

Where do the clouds meet?

Diagram of the main layers of the Earth's atmosphere

All major types of clouds float in the troposphere; this is the lowest part closest to the Earth. Above the troposphere is the stratosphere, and above are the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.

Why are the clouds different?

There are 10 main types of clouds:

Cumulus clouds

They look like fluffy cotton balls. Typically, cumulus clouds occur on calm, clear days and indicate good weather. However, under certain conditions they can become thunderstorm.

Stratus clouds

These are flat, gray, featureless layers that often lie close to the Earth's surface, obscuring the clouds above. Sometimes they can cause light rain. Fog is simply a layered cloud that has descended to ground level. And when you walk in foggy weather, you are actually walking through clouds.

Stratocumulus clouds

Stratus clouds can break up to form cumulus clouds. Or several cumulus clouds are able to join together to form layers. The distance between them characterizes this type as stratocumulus clouds.

Altostratus clouds

Altostratus clouds are found in the middle of the troposphere. They are usually thinner and lighter than laminated ones. If you look closely at the sky, you can see the sun's rays through such a cloud.

Altocumulus clouds

Like altostratus, altocumulus clouds are found in the middle of the troposphere. However, there is a difference, altocumulus clouds are much smaller than cumulus clouds and consist of both ice crystals and water droplets.

Cirrus clouds

Cirrus clouds are the clouds of high level consisting entirely of ice crystals. These are thin clouds that look like a horse's tail.

Cirrocumulus clouds

These are cumulus clouds at the height of cirrus. Cirrocumulus clouds are composed entirely of ice crystals. They look like little fish scales in the sky.

Cirrostratus clouds

Cirrostratus clouds are high in the sky. They can produce wonderful optical phenomena such as Halos. The sun still shines brightly through these layers, even though the sky may be completely covered in them.

Nimbostratus clouds

Nimbostratus clouds produce long rain or snow, which may be light to moderate. These high stratus clouds exist at low to mid-levels in the troposphere.

Cumulonimbus clouds

Also known as "cloud kings", cumulonimbus clouds are responsible for very heavy rain and hail. Precipitation occurs over a short period of time.

They are also the only clouds that can generate lightning and thunder. Cumulonimbus clouds are very high and often extend over different layers sky.

How to distinguish between cumulus, altocumulus and cirrocumulus clouds in the sky?

You can distinguish between these types of clouds using your hand. Extend your hand towards the cloud and clench your fingers into a fist. If the cloud is larger than a fist, it is a cumulus cloud.

If the cloud is smaller than your fist, move it aside thumb. When the cloud more finger- this is an altocumulus, and if it is smaller, it is most likely a cirrocumulus cloud.

Why are the clouds white?

Clouds are white because the droplets inside them are larger than the particles around them. This makes cloud droplets capable of scattering and breaking up light into various colors, which are then combined into white.

Clouds appear gray when they become dense enough to block sunlight.

What is an airplane contrail?

Condensation trails form when planes pass through cool air. The release of warm, moist air from an airplane's exhaust causes a trail of clouds in its path.

How to determine the weather by clouds?

It's difficult to accurately predict the weather using clouds, but there are some signs that can help! If the clouds are high, dark and cover the entire sky, the rain will continue. In case most The sky is blue, light rain can be expected.

If cumulus clouds get higher and higher, you may experience sudden showers in the evening or even thunder and lightning. However, this often occurs on hot and humid days.

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