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Clouds Dev Pre Lesson 7

Cloud

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10 views4 pages

Clouds Dev Pre Lesson 7

Cloud

Uploaded by

bryan robilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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REPORT OUTLINE:

CLOUD DEVELOPMENT AND PRECIPITATION

Reporters:
Bonifacio, Princess Diana P.
Roger, Rufaida J.
OBJECTIVES
Atmospheric Stability
Determining Stability
Cloud development

INTRODUCTION
When you think of the word “stable,” you typically think of an object that is unlikely to
change or something that is balanced. The opposite is true with something that is “unstable”. An
unstable object is likely to fall or change position with time. The same is true with clouds. When
you see a fluffy cumulus cloud, you might notice them changing shape from one minute to the
next. Such clouds are in a constant state of change, and thus represent the atmosphere in an
unstable state.

ATMOSPHERIC STABILITY
When we speak of atmospheric stability, we are refer- ring to a condition of equilibrium.
Atmospheric stability is a measure of atmospheric status which determines whether or not air
will rise, sink, or be neutral. In general stability refers to air tendency to rise or to resist vertical
motion 1996; Houghton 2002; Hewitt and Jackson (Salby 2003; Lutgens and Tarbuck
2009; Hantel 2013).
A rock resting on a depression is in stable equilibrium. If the rock is pushed up along
either side of the hill, and then let go of, it will quickly return to its original position.

Adiabatic Process
If a parcel of air expands and cools, or compresses and warms, and there is no
interchange of heat with its outside surroundings, this situation is called an adiabatic process.

Dry Adiabatic Rate


As long as the air in the parcel is unsaturated (the relative humidity is less than 100
percent), the rate of adiabatic cooling or warming remains constant and is about 10°C for every
1000 meters of change in altitude, or about 5.5°F for every 1000 feet. Since this rate of
cooling or warming only applies to unsaturated air, it is called the dry adiabatic mains
unsaturated, it expands and cools by 10°C per 1000 m; the sinking parcel compresses and
warms by 10°C per 1000 m. rate
Moist Adiabatic Rate
The rate at which the temperature of a parcel of saturated air decreases as the parcel is
lifted in the atmosphere. The moist adiabatic lapse rate is not a constant like the dry adiabatic
lapse rate but is dependent on parcel temperature and pressure.

CLOUD DEVELOPMENT AND STABILITY


Clouds form as air rises and cools and its water vapor condenses. If air is dry, the
atmosphere is stable. What is it that causes the air to rise so that clouds can form?

Primarily responsible for the development of the majority of clouds we observe:


1. surface heating and free convection
2. uplift along topography
3. Convergence
4. air uplift along weather fronts.

CONVECTION AND CLOUDS


 Warmer air being less dense is rising. As it rises, it cools and reaches the condensation
point of the water vapor in it, then this water vapor, forms clouds.
 These clouds are unlikely to form rain.

CUMULUS CLOUDS
• Cumulus clouds are a sign of fair weather.
• If they grow bigger and higher in the sky. They become towering cumulus/cumulus
congestus.
• And are big enough to form rain is called “Cumulonimbus”.

TOPOGRAPHY AND CLOUDS


As clouds are blown upward over mountains, they lose their moisture as rainfall on the
windward and the air that blows over the top of mountain is dry.
The upward displacement of air that leads to adiabatic cooling is called OROGRAPHIC UPLIFT.

TOPOGRAPHY AND CLOUDS


As clouds are blown upward over mountains, they lose their moisture as rainfall on the
windward and the air that blows over the top of mountain is dry.
The upward displacement of air that leads to adiabatic cooling is called OROGRAPHIC
UPLIFT.
Mountain wave clouds form when stable air is disturbed as it moves over hills and mountains.
This motion of the air carries on for tens of miles, meaning that the clouds can continue for a
considerable distance.
Lenticular clouds form as air travels up the ridge as gravity pulls it back down. Making an up
and down atmospheric wave above the peak.

CONVERGENCE
Winds from two direction meets and goes up, convergence process occurs in the center
of low pressure areas. The stronger the convergence, the stronger vertical motion and the more
clouds and precipitation form. This is most common in the intertropical convergence zone near
the equator.

FRONTS – WEATHER FRONT


A weather front is a zone where two air masses (warm and cold) come together at the
earth’s surface. Each are mass has its own temperature and humidity traits which can cause
turbulence that creates clouds and storms.

COLD FRONT
Happens when a cool air mass advances into a warm air mass. The heavier cold air
pushes under the lighter warm air causing it to rise up and produce clouds and thunderstorms.

WARM FRONT
Occurs when a cold air mass is replaced with warm air that pushes up and over the cold
air. Warm fronts bring humid moist air, increased temperature and light precipitation.

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