Description Cumulus cloud

cumulus clouds seen above

the liquid water density within cumulus cloud has been found change height above cloud base rather being approximately constant throughout cloud. @ cloud base, concentration 0 grams of liquid water per kilogram of air. altitude increased, concentration rapidly increased maximum concentration near middle of cloud. maximum concentration found 1.25 grams of water per kilogram of air. concentration dropped off altitude increased height of top of cloud, dropped 0 again.

lines of cumulus clouds on brittany

cumulus clouds can form in lines stretching on 480 kilometres (300 mi) long called cloud streets. these cloud streets cover vast areas , may broken or continuous. form when wind shear causes horizontal circulation in atmosphere, producing long, tubular cloud streets. form during high-pressure systems, such after cold front.

the height @ cloud forms depends on amount of moisture in thermal forms cloud. humid air result in lower cloud base. in temperate areas, base of cumulus clouds below 550 metres (1,800 ft) above ground level, can range 2,400 metres (7,900 ft) in altitude. in arid , mountainous areas, cloud base can in excess of 6,100 metres (20,000 ft).

some cumulus mediocris clouds

cumulus clouds can composed of ice crystals, water droplets, supercooled water droplets, or mixture of them. water droplets form when water vapor condenses on nuclei, , may coalesce larger , larger droplets. in temperate regions, cloud bases studied ranged 500 1,500 metres (1,600 4,900 ft) above ground level. these clouds above 25 °c (77 °f), , concentration of droplets ranged 23 to 1300 droplets per cubic centimeter (380 to 21,300 droplets per cubic inch). data taken growing isolated cumulus clouds not precipitating. droplets small, ranging down around 5 micrometers in diameter. although smaller droplets may have been present, measurements not sensitive enough detect them. smallest droplets found in lower portions of clouds, percentage of large droplets (around 20 to 30 micrometers) rising dramatically in upper regions of cloud. droplet size distribution bimodal in nature, peaks @ small , large droplet sizes , slight trough in intermediate size range. skew neutral. furthermore, large droplet size inversely proportional droplet concentration per unit volume of air. in places, cumulus clouds can have holes there no water droplets. these can occur when winds tear cloud , incorporate environmental air or when strong downdrafts evaporate water.

subforms

low cloud weather map symbols: includes low-étage , upward-growing vertical.

cumulus clouds come in 4 distinct species, cumulis humilis, mediocris, congestus, , fractus. these species may arranged variety, cumulus radiatus; , may accompanied 7 supplementary features, cumulus pileus, velum, virga, praecipitatio, arcus, pannus, , tuba.

the species cumulus fractus ragged in appearance , can form in clear air precursor cumulus humilis , larger cumulus species-types; or can form in precipitation supplementary feature pannus (also called scud) can include stratus fractus of bad weather. cumulus humilis clouds puffy, flattened shapes. cumulus mediocris clouds similar, except have vertical development. cumulus congestus clouds have cauliflower-like structure , tower high atmosphere, hence alternate name towering cumulus . variety cumulus radiatus forms in radial bands called cloud streets , can comprise of 4 species of cumulus.

cumulus congestus pileus clouds

cumulus supplementary features commonly seen species congestus. cumulus virga clouds cumulus clouds producing virga (precipitation evaporates while aloft), , cumulus praecipitatio produce precipitation reaches earth s surface. cumulus pannus comprise shredded clouds appear beneath parent cumulus cloud during precipitation. cumulus arcus clouds have gust front, , cumulus tuba clouds have funnel clouds or tornadoes. cumulus pileus clouds refer cumulus clouds have grown rapidly force formation of pileus on top of cloud. cumulus velum clouds have ice crystal veil on growing top of cloud.