How do clouds form? Clouds form when water vapor in the air condenses to form liquid water or ice crystals. (pg 57) What do we need to make a cloud? Water vapor Air temperature at Dew Point The presence of other particles Dust Smoke Sea salt pollution How are clouds classified? Scientists use 2 traits to classify clouds: Shape Altitude Classifying by SHAPE Clouds (like galaxies) are classified by their shape: Cirrus (feathery) Cumulus (fluffy) Stratus (layered; blanket-like) Classifying by ALTITUDE Use prefixes to tell what altitude clouds form at Strato- low Alto- middle Cirro- high 6 cloud types 3 major cloud types: Cirrus Stratus Cumulus Other: Cumulonimbus Nimbostratus Fog Task Your task is to work with your group members to research the following in your textbook: Description of the cloud (what it looks like) The weather it brings A sketch of the cloud Cirrus clouds Type: cirrus Description: feathery; made of ice crystals Weather: fair Usually form very high in the troposphere Stratus clouds Type: stratus Description: layered, blanket-like Weather: precipitation likely Cumulus clouds Type: cumulus Description: puffy Weather: fair Cumulonimbus clouds Type: cumulonimbus Description: towering Weather: thunderstorms The Anvil shape occurs when the cloud hits the edge of the troposphere and flattens out. Name: Nimbostratus Description: a stratus cloud that IS precipitating Weather: Its raining! (duh) Fog Name: Fog Description: ground cloud Weather: it depends (variable) Stratocumulus clouds (puffy + spread out) The Altos- clouds that form at middle altitudes AltostratusAltocumulus Alto- clouds form below cirrus clouds but are still above a tenor!