We can push the limits of our imagination to the limit by looking at the stars at night; The same goes for the clouds that surround our world in daylight and are an integral part of our atmosphere. Clouds, which are basically made up of the same materials, are actually water droplets or ice crystals floating in the air. looks different depending on the weather† These differences can help us predict weather changes.

Well, it helps us make weather forecasts, which is one of the natural beauties of the world, where we play games by using our imagination when needed, which enlightens us when we look up when we’re bored, or makes us gloomier . clouds and How do cloud shapes form?† this one what are the properties of clouds† Let’s watch together.

How do clouds form?

Clouds are actually masses formed by the condensation of water droplets or small ice crystals in the air† Since both landforms and weather conditions play a role in cloud formation, it is also possible to obtain information about these factors by observing cloud formations. During cloud formation, water droplets that rise from the earth during heat waves play a role† These droplets, which gradually cool as a result of the natural cooling process that occurs as altitude (altitude) increases, weather conditions at high altitudes, low pressure areas, or collisions with landforms such as mountains, reach a temperature and pressure level below the dew point of the air. by condensation they become visible. During this condensation, dust particles, pollen and similar particles in the air can act as nuclei and play a role in speeding up the cloud formation process by allowing water droplets to collect around them.

The types of clouds we see in the sky and their characteristics:

• high clouds:
  • cirrus
  • cirrocumulus
  • cirrhostratus
• Semi-high clouds:
  • altostratus
  • altocumulus
  • nimbostratus
• Low-lying clouds:
  • cumulus
  • Stratus
  • cumulonimbus
  • contrails
  • mammoth
  • orographic
  • lenticular

high clouds:

Types of clouds called high clouds (more than 600 meters), they occur above about 20,000 feet and are named with the prefix “cirro”† They occur at high altitudes and do not cast shadows. Clouds at this level are usually composed of ice crystals and appear thin, streaked, and white. Cirrus, Cirrocumulus and Cirrostratus are divided into three main groups.

Cirrus: delicate, hairy-looking clouds

Cirrus clouds, which means ponytail, tuft of hair in Latin. delicate, hairy-looking ice granules in the air his clouds. Thin shapes bend ice crystals and spread them into strips with wind currents occurs. These clouds, which we can usually see in calm weather, are thin, long and linear.

Cirrocumulus: They appear in clusters

Cirrocumulus clouds, meaning clustered, gathered in Latin, resemble Cirrus clouds. consists of ice particles† Because of the unique water particles they contain, they sometimes appear as fragmented, layer-like appearances, and sometimes as clumps filled with waves or small grains.

Cirrostratus: Covers the whole sky like a veil

Cirrostratus clouds, which in Latin means spread out, finely sprinkled, consisting of a large amount of water droplets They are thin, white clouds that cover the whole sky like a veil. Most seen in winter This type of cloud is also known as rain or snow announcer because of the high amount of moisture it contains. They can also create a halo around the sun or moon.

Semi-high clouds:

Mid-level clouds (2000-6000 meters), clouds at the middle level of the troposphere, preceded by “Alto”, appear between 6,500 and 20,000 feet. These clouds, which are formed according to the height, time of year and vertical temperature structure of the troposphere, are composed of liquid water droplets, ice crystals or droplets at the level below freezing. medium clouds, Atostratus, Altocumulus, Nimbostratus is divided into three.

Altostratus: Heralds of Heavy Rain

Composed of ice crystals and water droplets in gray or blue-grey colors his clouds; these clouds usually cover the entire sky. The water droplets collected in it and the closed view it is a harbinger of heavy rain†

Altocumulus: Shape in Spring and Summer

It is a lot of small, hairy and wavy clouds that consist of a blotchy gray layer. They are composed of particles of liquid water, but they usually do not have a rain-producing structure† Clouds that form in spring and summer.

Nimbostratus: harbinger of rain or snowfall

It is gray in color that changes to rain or snow and because of its thickness it blocks sunlight. are dark clouds†

Low-lying clouds:

Low clouds (less than 2000 meters) do not have a prefix that low clouds have, although their name is derived from the word ‘strato’. under 6500 feet These clouds are composed of liquid water droplets or supercooled droplets. Seen in stormy weather in winter his clouds. Low-lying clouds come in two forms, layered horizontally and layered vertically. is a harbinger of rainy weather†

Cumulus: the kind that’s perfect for taking pictures

In the air fluffy white cotton balls It looks like a cloud. It creates a beautiful view at sunset, and their varying size and shape can give us pleasure in observing them and making them look like things using our imagination. But when their tops are rounded, turning gray can indicate rain†

Stratus: In high areas they look like fog

It’s a kind of cloud that usually looks like thin, white layers covering the entire sky. because they are so thin they rarely produce rain or snow. Sometimes they appear as fog in mountainous areas or hills.

Cumulonimbus: Also known as ‘Storm Cloud’

Also called a “storm cloud,” this type of cloud is a type of cloud that looks like a giant tower. The upper part is usually straight, linear and fibrous. This type of cloud, which is usually very dark, is low and irregular. It is a type of cloud that produces hail and tornadoes.†

Contrails: clouds created by airplanes

flying on high feet clouds caused by jet aircraft† They are formed by water droplets that condense from the water vapor in the exhaust gases of jet engines. While not a natural phenomenon, they fall into the cloud category and layers of moisture in the air It can help us learn more about:

Mammatus: They appear as pouches

These clouds are actually Altocumulus, Cirrus, Cumulonimbus-like cloud types† It appears as pockets when the cold air in the cloud moves downward. It could be a harbinger of heavy rainfall.†

Orographic: clouds where two air masses meet

These clouds take the form of mountains or hills that force air to move over or around them. This type of cloud, which can also occur due to sea breezes, usually appears as the lines where two air masses meet. Could be a harbinger of afternoon thunderstorms and showers†

Lenticular: they look like a flying saucer

These clouds, called lenticular clouds, are shaped like lenses, almonds, or flying saucers. It can take its form from rough terrain or just the way water droplets rise on flat terrain. Does not allow us to receive information about weather conditions†

If we set aside its types and shapes and look at it, it is actually a cloud that does not seem very big to us 1 kilometer in diameter and It has a volume of 4 billion cubic meters† It contains between 1 and 5 million kilograms of water.† The water droplets that make up the clouds are so small that they reflect the light directly and we see the white clouds as cotton. The more the water droplets coalesce and thicken, the darker and less reflective clouds form.