CLOUDS

MAD LIBS FOR CLOUDS

On a cool crisp winter day there were ___________ clouds in the sky.
Number greater then
5

Mary and Peter were walking their ___________ dog. Mary asked
Breed of Dog

Peter if it was possible to _________ on clouds. Peter laughed and

Verb

told Mary no, then she asked if it was because clouds were made of
Type of food

__________. Mary said that she wished clouds were made of

Type of food

Name

__________! ___________ the dog began running after a squirrel and

it began to snow. Peter said that it was like the clouds were
Verb

__________ snowflakes at them and it might be time to go home!

Clouds

WHAT ARE CLOUDS MADE OF?...

Clouds are made of very tiny droplets of water or ice
crystals.

The droplets are so tiny that they are light enough that they
can float
within the air

The droplets turn into a gas that is called water vapor

The higher the water vapor in the sky, the colder it gets. The
cooler

the air the likely the water vapor droplets stick to bits of
dust, ice or
sea salt, thus creating clouds.

ROOTS TO UNDERSTANDING CLOUD NAMES

Cirro: Curl of hairAlto: Mid

Strato: Layer
Nimbo: Rain, precipitation
Cumulo: Heap

HIGH-LEVEL CLOUDS-ABOVE 20,000 FEET

Cirrus Clouds

Cirrostratus

Wispy, feathery, and

composed entirely
of
ice crystals. First
sign
of warm front or
upper
level jet stream

Veil like layer,

widespread. Disperses
the sunlight/moonlight.

Cirrocumulus
Layered clouds, with
cumuliform or
lumpiness. Usually
appear in streets or
rows

MID-LEVEL CLOUDS-BETWEEN 6,500-20,000 FEET

Altostratus
Flat and uniform texture,
indicate a
warm front approaching.
Occasionally
produce light precipitation

Altocumulus
Heap like clouds. Align in what looks
like
streets or rows.

LOW-LEVEL CLOUDS- BELOW 6,500 FEET

Cumulus

Stratocumulus

Puffy , cotton ball

Hybrids of layered

Cumulonimbu
s

cauliflowershaped

cumulus. Patches

A thunderstorm

that have clumped

cloud that

Beginning stages

together and are

produces heavy

of a thunderstorm

thick. Ahead of

rain, thunder and

cloud

behind a frontal

lightning

system

Nimbostratus
Thick, dense
clouds that are
very likely to
produce heavy
snow or rain

CUMULUS CLOUDS-LOW LEVEL

Puffy, cotton ball, cauliflowershaped

STRATOCUMULUS-LOW LEVEL

Hybrids of layered cumulus.

Patches that have clumped
together and are thick

CUMULONIMBUS-LOW LEVEL

Think thunderheads. These clouds

are large, puffy and produce heavy
rains, thunderstorms and lighting.

NIMBOSTRATUS-LOW LEVEL

Thicker then normal stratus clouds,

they block out the sunlight. They
tend to cause a steady rainfall or
snowfall

STRATUS CLOUDS-LOW LEVEL

Thin, stable layers, sheet like,

sometimes bring snow, rain, or
a light drizzle

ALTOSTRATUS-MID LEVEL

Flat and uniform texture, indicate a

warm front approaching.
Occasionally
produce light precipitation

ALTOCUMULUS-MID LEVEL

Heap like clouds. Align in what looks

like
streets or rows.

CIRRUS CLOUDS-HIGH LEVEL

Wispy, taper into delicate, feather

like curls. A good indicator that
a change of weather is
approaching

CIRROSTRATUS-HIGH LEVEL

Veil like layer, widespread. Disperses

the sunlight/moonlight.

CIRROCUMULUS-HIGH LEVEL

Layered clouds, with cumuliform or

lumpiness. Usually appear in
streets or rows

HOMEWORK!

Please have the Clouds packet

done
for tomorrow! If you have any
questions, please ask!