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The base altitude of a cumulus cloud depends on the humidity of the lower level of the atmosphere. The more moisture in the atmosphere, the lower the cloudbase.

Meteorologists measure the temperature and dew point of the air (the dew point is the temperature at which water will start to condense out of the air). As the air rises, the temperature of the air will fall at the dry adiabatic lapse rate (approximately 3°C per 1000 ft of altitude) whereas the dew point will fall at 0.5°C per 1000 ft. When the air temperature falls to the local dew point, water will start to condense out of the air and begin to form a cloud. This is the cloudbase.

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Q: Why does altitude of the base cumulus clouds change from day to day?
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What process occurs at the flat base of most cumulus clouds?

Condensation happens at the base of Cumulus clouds.


When can you expect cumulus clouds?

1) Cumulus clouds are vertically developed clouds. 2) Cumulus clouds have a flat base, which is the location of the lifting condensation level. 3) Cumulus clouds can develop into cumulonimbus clouds. 4) Cumulus clouds have a lifetime of less than an hour.


What is the altitude of cumulus clouds?

It depends on what cumulus type you are talking about. Cumulus humilis clouds are 'fatter' than they are tall. This is what people would usually refer to if they say just 'cumulus'. These are the clouds you see in the morning, and all also called fair weather clouds. You normally see a cumulus humilis cloud at an altitude of 2,000 to 3,500 feet. (600-1,050 m) Cumulus mediocris clouds are an alternate version of the humilis version. These clouds are taller than they are fat. You normally see a cumulus humilis cloud at an altitude of 2,000 to 4,000 feet. (600-1,200 m) Cumulus congestus clouds are the only cumulus clouds that produce substantial precipitation. When you hear someone saying '"cumulus clouds can produce precipitation"', they refer to these clouds. You normally see a cumulus congestus cloud at an altitude of 2,000 to 20,000 feet. (600-6,000 m). If you want to know what my reference is, it is a book called "Weather", by William J. Burroughs, Bob Crowder, Ted Robertson, Eleanor Vallier-Talbot, and Richard Whitaker.


What clouds are white with fuzzy edges?

They could be seagulls, or snowflakes, or clouds.


How do you describe a cumulus cloud?

they are mid altitude clouds, forms when warm air rises, they are also puffy, white clouds that tend to have flat bottoms, and they indicate fair weather


A massive cloud with rounded sides and a flat base is called?

Cumulus Clouds do.


What characteristics does a cloud have?

Cumulus clouds are the extremely puffy clouds in the sky. The base of the cloud is usually flat and is topped by billowing towers of puffy white clouds resembling cauliflower heads.


Heght if cumulus?

Cumulus clouds, the base of each cloud is often flat and may only be 1000 meters above the ground. Tops may extend to 12,000 meters high


What are couds that appear fluffy and can stretch up high vertically and frequently have a flat base called?

I do believe they are called cumulus clouds, as they appear to be very fluffy and have a cotton sort of look, but they have a flat-looking base that is darker than the rest of the cloud.


What are the names of the four kinds of clouds?

Clouds are divided into two general categories: layered and convective. These are named stratus clouds (or stratiform, the Latin stratus means "layer") and cumulus clouds (or cumuliform; cumulus means "piled up"), respectively. These two cloud types are divided into four more groups that distinguish the cloud's altitude. Clouds are classified by the cloud base height, not the cloud top. This system was proposed by Luke Howard in 1802 in a presentation to the Askesian Society. High clouds (Family A) * Cirrocumulus * Cirrus cloud * Cirrostratus Middle clouds (Family B) * Altostratus * Altocumulus Low clouds (Family C) These are found up to 2,000 m (6,500 feet) and include the stratus (dense and grey). When stratus clouds contact the ground, they are called fog. Clouds in Family C include: * Cumulus (Cu) * Cumulus humilis ** Cumulus mediocris * Stratocumulus (Sc) * Nimbostratus (Ns) * Stratus (St) Vertical clouds (Family D) These clouds can have strong up-currents, rise far above their bases and form at many heights. Clouds in Family D include: * Cumulonimbus (associated with heavy precipitation and thunderstorms) (Cb) * Cumulonimbus calvus ** Cumulonimbus incus ** Cumulonimbus with mammatus * Cumulus (Cu) * Cumulus congestus * Pyrocumulus Other clouds A few clouds can be found above the troposphere; these include noctilucent and polar stratospheric clouds (or nacreous clouds), which occur in the mesosphere and stratosphere respectively. Some clouds form as a consequence of interactions with specific geographical features. Perhaps the strangest geographically-specific cloud in the world is Morning Glory, a rolling cylindrical cloud which appears unpredictably over the Gulf of Carpentaria in Northern Australia. Associated with a powerful "ripple" in the atmosphere, the cloud may be "surfed" in glider aircraft.


What is the approximate base of the cumulus clouds if the surface air temperature at 1000 feet MSL is 70 F and the dewpoint is 48 F?

6,000 feet MSL.


What is a cumulous cloud shaped like?

A cumulus cloud has a flat base and a rounded fluffy appearance. The top looks like a cotton-ball and is irregular.