Being able to predict the weather by observing cloud formations is a skill that is somewhat lost on us modern humans. Most of us can easily look at a cloud and see the unicorn or ice cream cones, but very few of us can look at clouds and see the approaching cold front.
Fortunately, being able to predict the weather is easier than one may think. Follows is some helpful information to get you started. It will no doubt wow, impress and keep you dry on your next family outting into the great outdoors.
Fortunately, being able to predict the weather is easier than one may think. Follows is some helpful information to get you started. It will no doubt wow, impress and keep you dry on your next family outting into the great outdoors.
Step 1: Categorization
Clouds can easily be broken into four categories. These categories are high clouds, middle clouds, low clouds and clouds with vertical growth.
Clouds are also identified by shape. Cumulus refers to a "heap" of clouds. Stratus refers to clouds that are long and streaky. And nimbus refers to the shape of "rain" because we all know what rain looks like.
Clouds are also identified by shape. Cumulus refers to a "heap" of clouds. Stratus refers to clouds that are long and streaky. And nimbus refers to the shape of "rain" because we all know what rain looks like.
Step 2: High Clouds
High clouds form at 16,000 - 43,000 feet. Basically, these are the clouds that you only encounter on the top of really high mountains or at the cruising altitude of a jet airplane. Due to the extreme conditions at which they form, they tend to be comprised primarily of ice crystals.
High clouds do not block sunlight.
High clouds include:
Cirrus
Cirrostratus
Cirrocumulus
High clouds do not block sunlight.
High clouds include:
Cirrus
Cirrostratus
Cirrocumulus
Step 3: Cirrus
Cirrus clouds are white wispy clouds that stretch across the sky. By all accounts, cirrus clouds indicate fair weather in the immediate future. However, they can also be an indication of a change in weather patterns within the next 24 hours (most likely a change of pressure fronts).
By watching their movement and the direction in which the streaks are pointed, you can get a sense of which direction the weather front is moving.
By watching their movement and the direction in which the streaks are pointed, you can get a sense of which direction the weather front is moving.
Step 4: Cirrostratus
Cirrostratus tend to be sheet-like and cover the whole sky. You can usually tend to see the sun or moon through them. Their pressence usually indicates moist weather within the next 12 - 24 hours.
Step 5: Cirrocumulus
Cirrocumulus clouds tend to be large groupings of white streaks that are sometimes seemingly neatly aligned. In most climates these mean fair weather for the near future.
However, in the tropics, these clouds may indicate an approaching tropical storm or hurricane (depending on the season).
However, in the tropics, these clouds may indicate an approaching tropical storm or hurricane (depending on the season).
Step 6: Middle Clouds
Middle clouds form at 6,500 to 23,000 feet. They are comprised of water, and, if cold enough, ice.
Middle clouds often block sunlight, but not always.
Middle clouds consist of:
Altostratus
Altocumulus
Middle clouds often block sunlight, but not always.
Middle clouds consist of:
Altostratus
Altocumulus
Step 7: Altostratus
Altostratus are grey and/or blue clouds that cover the whole sky. They tend to indicate a storm some time in the very near future since they usually precede inclimate weather.
Step 8: Altocumulus
Altocumulus are grayish-white clouds blanketing the entire sky. The tend to look like large fluffy sheets in which there is a lot of contrast between light and dark. Sun does not pass through them. If you see them in the morning, prepare for a thunderstorm in the afternoon.
Step 9: Low clouds
Low clouds form below 6,500 feet. These clouds are the ones that like to hang-around just above tall buildings. These clouds tend to contain water, but can also be comprised of snow if the weather gets cold enough.
Low clouds block sunlight and can bring precipitation and wind.
Low clouds include:
Stratus
Stratocumulus
Nimbostratus
Low clouds block sunlight and can bring precipitation and wind.
Low clouds include:
Stratus
Stratocumulus
Nimbostratus
Step 10: Stratus
Stratus are low-lying solid clouds that are often formed when fog lifts off the ground. They obviously look like an elevated fog. Often they bring drizzle or light snow.
Step 11: Stratocumulus
Stratocumulus are low-lying bumpy and grey clouds. They do not bring precipitation. They also do not cover the entire sky and tend to come in rows and patches.
Step 12: Nimbostratus
Nimbostratus is your standard rain cloud. It is a large flat sheet of grey cloud with a little bit of differentiation. If you see these, chances are it's raining outside.
Step 13: Clouds with vertical mobility
And last, but not least, are clouds with vertical growth which tend to have a base that hangs really low (5,000 feet) and a top that climbs really high (over 50,000 feet).
Clouds in this category include:
Cumulus
Cumulonimbus
Clouds in this category include:
Cumulus
Cumulonimbus
Step 14: Cumulus
Cumulus clouds are your stereotypical white "cottonball" clouds. So long as the clouds remain low clumps floating across the sky, there will be fair weather. However, you need to keep an eye on these clouds because any vertical growth can indicate the start of a large storm.
Step 15: Cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus are cumulus clowds that have grown vertically into an anvil-like shape. The anvil tends to point in the direction the storm is moving. These clouds bring most dangerous weather such as rain, lightning, hail and tornadoes.
Step 16: That's a lot of information. Now what?
Alright, now that we know what the basic types of clouds are, we need to look up at the sky.
Go outside and look at the sky. If there are no clouds in the the sky, then the weather is fine.
Assuming there are clouds in the sky, we now need to identify them.
First, determine if you can see the sun or moon through them. If you can, then you are looking at high altitude clouds. If the clouds are thick, then there is a chance of poor weather a day or two in the future. To determine when the storm will arrive, observe whether or not the clouds appear to be moving. If they appear stationary, it is a slow moving front and probably won't arrive for over a day. If they appear to be moving, then the change in weather will be there faster. You can tell which way the storm is traveling by the direction the clouds are pointing.
If you can not see through the clouds, chances are that you are looking at middle or low altitude clouds. First, determine which of the two you are dealing with by observing shape, color and other more obvious give-aways. Are they covering the entire sky? Then they may be middle altitude clouds. Do they appear to be grey with a blue tint or fluffy white/grey clouds with a lot of contrast between light and dark? If yes, then these are middle altitude clouds and you should prepare for rain within half a day.
If you answered no to any of those questions, then check for low-altitude clouds. These tend to appear low and often engulf mountains and buildings. If it looks like an elevated fog, expect drizzle (if it isn't already). If it is rows of low, dark, lumpy clouds, then the weather is otherwise okay, but watch for further developments. If there is a low, dark, grey sheet, then it's probably raining. If it's not, quickly go get your umbrella.
If your clouds are low, fluffy, and white like cottonballs in the sky, then the weather is okay. However, keep an eye on these for any vertical growth of the cloud upwards into the sky (turning into anvil shapes). These clouds can unexpectedly change from fair weather indicators into violent thunderstorms.
Go outside and look at the sky. If there are no clouds in the the sky, then the weather is fine.
Assuming there are clouds in the sky, we now need to identify them.
First, determine if you can see the sun or moon through them. If you can, then you are looking at high altitude clouds. If the clouds are thick, then there is a chance of poor weather a day or two in the future. To determine when the storm will arrive, observe whether or not the clouds appear to be moving. If they appear stationary, it is a slow moving front and probably won't arrive for over a day. If they appear to be moving, then the change in weather will be there faster. You can tell which way the storm is traveling by the direction the clouds are pointing.
If you can not see through the clouds, chances are that you are looking at middle or low altitude clouds. First, determine which of the two you are dealing with by observing shape, color and other more obvious give-aways. Are they covering the entire sky? Then they may be middle altitude clouds. Do they appear to be grey with a blue tint or fluffy white/grey clouds with a lot of contrast between light and dark? If yes, then these are middle altitude clouds and you should prepare for rain within half a day.
If you answered no to any of those questions, then check for low-altitude clouds. These tend to appear low and often engulf mountains and buildings. If it looks like an elevated fog, expect drizzle (if it isn't already). If it is rows of low, dark, lumpy clouds, then the weather is otherwise okay, but watch for further developments. If there is a low, dark, grey sheet, then it's probably raining. If it's not, quickly go get your umbrella.
If your clouds are low, fluffy, and white like cottonballs in the sky, then the weather is okay. However, keep an eye on these for any vertical growth of the cloud upwards into the sky (turning into anvil shapes). These clouds can unexpectedly change from fair weather indicators into violent thunderstorms.
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What if you see Alto Cumulus clouds in the mid-morning (around 10 or 11 AM ish)? Does it still mean a chance for rain in the afternoon? Are they actually Alto-Cumulus time? Please explain.
Thanks sooooo much for your time. I really appreciate it! :)
This is in the South of France.
Just luck I suppose …
The wikipedia page seems pretty reasonable though:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lenticular_cloud
Someone should make an app to do it for us.
but I'm not sure it is very practical as it seems too general to me : practically you have to take into account local patterns to really make the clouds "talk" and predict weather : the sea, coast line, mountain formation, plain and type of plants or trees plus local idiosyncrasies may change considerably the general pattern you give here.
Your description of clouds is 100% correct of course but in order to have a valuable prediction type of clouds must be crossed with other informations :
- locally, air pressure with rate of rise or fall, wind speed and direction at ground level (which is somewhat easy) and at higher altitude (as you say) which can only be a guess, temperature rise or fall …
- if possible) regionally or on 1/2 a continent scale (let's say Eastern US or Western Europe) data from different weather stations ; ie. (for each station) air pressure, rate of barometer rise of fall, wind direction and speed, temperature with rise or fall plus type of cloud formation, type of rain if any, fog formation and dew point.
This list seems pretty stuffy, but once you're used to it you can make good valuable 24h predictions by drawing a chart of air masses, fronts and weather formation on the whole area (1/2 a continent).
We did precisely that when sailing on the western coast of Europe using the weather service from BBC's channel 4. This weather bulletin was broadcasted 6 times a day (if my memory serves me well) and we did draw a weather chart in about 5 minutes after the broadcast.
Of course with the internet on board, Navtex and all those electronic devices (which are truly invaluable in rough conditions) caring about the weather has changed dramatically : a 72 hours forecast in reliable now when a 12 hours prediction was the more we could expect in the late 50's and 60's (24 to 36 hours in the late 70's). And safety has increased and this is good …
Conversely I feel we have lost an art of prediction which was trying to "read" all those little signs from nature to make us aware of what could happen next and gave a feeling of belonging to a universe we could have a practical understanding of.
(Same could be said about the art of navigation, dead reckoning and nautical astronomy : making a perfect fix by stars was -still is for some ?- quite exhalirating and gave a feeling of deep achievement and a feeling of being one with one's environment).
This is why your instructable is great albeit its limitations. Maybe you should add a section on how the air masses move, how warm and cold fronts form what makes the difference between a low and a high, wind direction, use of temperature rise and fall, etc … that shape the coming weather ?… And also be somewhat more specific about where and in which season the informations you give work best ?
It is just a suggestion …
I am also aware this becomes a general course in meteorology … and Instructable.com may not be the place for it !!! ;D
So please don't feel I'm trying to put down your effort.
On the contrary.
Again, thank you and Happy New Year (as this is written on 12-30 at 11pm (local time) :D :D
it is ashamed to not include chemtrails (government papers confirm this) since it is a FACT. to dismiss it as paranoia is not only ignorance of what is going on in your skies but giving people biased and uninformed information.
Moreover I do not see how chemtrails (wether tey are facts or not) can help to predict weather which is the purpose of this instructable …
You're just knocking at the wrong door.
Be nice to you : give yourself some fresh air and read what people write instead of seeing a conspiracy where only simple useful facts are given (not all facts but useful facts).
I have simple explained how to predict the weather using naturally forming cloud formations. These originate from complex natural processes as they have for billions of years.
There is no bias here. Only FACT.
You realize that your chemtrails(Or maybe you meant contrails?) only affected new york (most of which was noted by airport monitoring equiptment, and was largly localized to the airports because of traffic being high enough there) by 5 degrees celsius during the world trade center fiasco. (They shut down air traffic for a few days after the towers were hit)
Secondly this person was giving us examples of judging weather, using globally forming cloud patterns. Unless you live close to an airport, contrails will never get dense enough to significantly impact the local weather. If you do live close enough, well.... looks like cloudy skys with higher chances of precipitation when fronts move in.... as a constant (Fluctuating mildly with traffic density)
However, I'm sure all of us here would love to hear your forcast model using contrails?! I'm very intrigued on how this relates to world weather, and predicting weather using naturally forming clouds as a result of moving fronts
Yes, contrails do affect tempurature, however they affect airports mostly, and major airways/skyways. They also only hold moisture long enough to dissipate back into the air around it. Contrails are not the "exhaust" of the airplane persay.... it's a reaction with the tempurature difference of their exhaust and the cold air. The hot moist exhaust air is combining with the low vapor pressure cold air way up there. It's the same effect as when you breath out on a cold day. So with that in mind, us as humans exhale way more vapor than the jets do on average, and would then be the largest factor in global weather change!
You made yourself look like a fenatic, and therfor no one will ever truthfully listen to you with much regard. I know I sure didn't, but then again, I'm just one opinion... maybe others have their own!
I (am aged) grew up where tornadoes are angry & as a child was repeatedly warned to "watch the clouds",,or else! (I knew what that meant) My "mentors" also taught me to note the behavior of animals & plants. as when the leaves of trees turn over or pets get nervous.
Thank you so much for you time and knowledge & trouble in posting this life saving information!!
what about no clouds? =DD
summer-boiling
winter-hot
summer-boiling
Well, it's not really so hot in winter, but what we define cool, you might define summer. :)
due to global warming, of course
I think I need time to re-read it again..and make some notes
even so, very good and a lot of work here
1) your "expertise" in forecasting is local and is based on multiple factors starting with a good knowledge of local factors that was built over the years ;
2) TV weather forecast and other pro weathermen are on th whole very reliable, albeit some rare mistakes of course.
Actually your remark are very useful as you give practical examples to what I say on a more general level.
Thank you & Happy New Year to you an all your relatives (I know this is important in your country).