The clouds

The clouds outside my window

Your School Name

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Written and illustrated by your name

The Clouds Outside My Window.

Written and illustrated by Your Name

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The Clouds Outside My/Our Window.

Write a little bit about your area Where are you? What’s the weather like?

Your Name Your Grade Your Class

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A look out my window

Here’s a look out my window. Talk about what we see out your window.

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Ice crystals

What are clouds made of ?

High in the atmosphere where temperatures are very, very cold, most clouds are made of tiny ice crystals. Closer to the ground, the clouds we see are made of tiny water droplets.

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How do clouds form

In general, there are two ways clouds form. In both cases though, the clouds form because the air is cooling. In the atmosphere, rising air cools and sinking air warms. In most cases, the clouds that you see are caused by rising air.

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The air is cooling

How do clouds form?

Clouds can also form when the air gets colder for other reasons. This can happen overnight when the air is cooling, or when warm air moves over a cold lake or a snow-covered surface.

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How are clouds named

Clouds are classified based on how high they are in the sky, whether they are made up of tiny water droplets or ice crystals, their general appearance, and whether they are producing precipitation. On the next page, I’ll explain some of the basic terminology used to classify clouds.

Puffy clouds

How are clouds named?

Puffy clouds are called cumulus or have the prefix “cumulo.” Clouds that form a layer are called stratus or have the prefix “strato.” Clouds that are made up of ice crystals are called cirrus or have the prefix “cirro.” Clouds that produce precipitation are called nimbus or have the prefix “nimbo.”

Puffy clouds are called cumulus

How are clouds named?

We often need to combine the various cloud terms to accurately describe the clouds we see. For example, puffy clouds are called cumulus; however, if the cumulus clouds form a layer, they are called stratocumulus. If those puffy cumulus clouds grow upward high into the sky and produce rain, they are called cumulonimbus clouds.

Types of low clouds

Stratocumulus Cumulus Stratus

LOW

Picture

Types of Low Clouds [cloud type].

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Types of middle clouds

Altocumulus Altostratus

MIDDLE

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Types of Middle Clouds [cloud type].

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Types of high clouds

Cirrus Cirrostratus Cirrocumulus

HIGH

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Types of High Clouds [cloud type].

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Vertically-developed clouds

HIGH

MIDDLE

LOW

Cloud type

Vertically-Developed Clouds [cloud type].

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Colors in the sky

Different colors of light

Colors In The Sky.

Sunlight is made up of all different colors of light. Some particles in the atmosphere such as raindrops and ice crystals act as prisms and separate the sun’s light into the various colors. Other particles cause certain colored light to be scattered in many different directions.

Why is the sky blue

The blue light that we see in the sky actually comes from sun. When sunlight strikes tiny particles high in the sky, the blue portion of the sun’s light is scattered in all directions. We see the blue light that is scattered toward us from all over the sky.

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Sunrise colors

Sunrises and sunsets are red, orange, and yellow for the same reason that the sky is blue. Because the sun’s light must travel through more atmosphere at sunrise and sunset, the violet, blue, and green light gets scattered by particles in the atmosphere, leaving only the red, orange and yellow light.

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The clouds at sunrise to look red

Sunrise Colors.

Sometimes, high and mid level clouds reflect the yellow orange, and red light from the sun at sunrise or sunset. This can cause the clouds at sunrise to look red, orange, or yellow.

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Sunset colors

Clouds at sunset are colored for the same reason as they are at sunrise. Beautiful sunsets often occur when the sky to the west is clearing.

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Rainbows

The raindrops act like little prisms and separate the sun’s light into various colors. We see these colors as a rainbow. For the main rainbow, the red is on the outside, followed by orange, yellow, green, and blue (if visible).

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The raindrops

Rainbows.

In some cases, the raindrops can cause a secondary rainbow. In this case, the secondary rainbow is barely visible. The colors are in reversed for secondary rainbows and the sky between rainbows darker than either side.

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Sundogs

Ice crystals can also act as prisms to separate the sun’s light. In this case, ice crystals have created a sundog in the sky. Sundogs can occur on one or both sides of the sun near sunrise or sunset.

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If we take a closer look, we see that the red light is closest to the

Sundogs.

If we take a closer look, we see that the red light is closest to the sun followed by orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

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Iridescence

Thin clouds composed of tiny water droplets or ice crystals can also cause iridescence. This typically occurs near the sun and is often difficult to see.

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Other.

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The end

The Clouds Outside My Window

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