Clouds

Temperatures decrease with altitude in the troposphere, the lowest layer of the atmosphere, from an average of about 20° C to below -50° C. In the next layer, the stratosphere, temperatures warm only slightly up to the ozone layer at the top of the stratosphere, where they increase rapidly with altitude until becoming about the same as on the earth's surface. Temperatures in the next layer, the mesosphere, cool rapidly with altitude to below -80° C. Temperatures rise rapidly with increases in altitude in the next layer, the thermosphere, but temperatures there can vary widely. Depending on the activity of ionized particles within this region, they reach a high of over 1,200° C in the daytime and become extremely cold at night. The next layer is the exosphere, which cools with altitude to where it ends about 1,000 km above the earth's surface.

The moisture in a cloud that is heavy enough to fall back to Earth is called precipitation. This can take the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail depending on the conditions in the atmosphere.

The weather term for how much of the sky is hidden by clouds is cloud cover. This is usually expressed in terms of a percentage, such as "partly cloudy" or "mostly cloudy," to indicate the amount of the sky covered by clouds.

Water vapor is found in the atmosphere, which is the layer of gases that surrounds Earth. It is present in varying concentrations depending on factors such as temperature, altitude, and weather conditions.

The type of clouds that form near the ground are called fog. Fog is formed when air near the surface cools to the point where it can no longer hold its water vapor, causing it to condense into droplets and create a cloud-like formation.

Heat is distributed around the world through a combination of solar radiation and the movement of air and ocean currents. This creates temperature variations between different latitudes and regions. Moisture, on the other hand, is distributed through processes such as evaporation, condensation, and precipitation, which are influenced by factors such as temperature, wind patterns, and proximity to large bodies of water. Together, these processes contribute to the diverse climate patterns and ecosystems found around the world.

The six main types of clouds are cirrus, cumulus, stratus, nimbus, alto, and stratocumulus clouds. Each type has distinct characteristics and is classified based on its altitude, shape, and composition.

Fog is a type of cloud that forms close to the ground. It occurs when the air near the surface becomes saturated with moisture, causing water droplets to condense and reduce visibility.

A weather radar is a tool used to track and monitor the movement of storm clouds. It works by emitting radio waves that bounce off precipitation particles in the atmosphere, allowing meteorologists to see the location, intensity, and movement of storms in real-time.

Nimbostratus clouds are typically associated with steady rain that can last for an extended period of time. These clouds are thick, grey clouds that cover the sky and usually bring widespread precipitation.

Water evaporates into water vapour, and water vapour condenses into water.

Clouds are made up of very small water droplets which are suspended in the air. If the air continues to cool, the small droplets will join together to form larger droplets or ice crystals. Eventually the weight of the water drops or ice crystals may be heavy enough to make them fall as precipitation(rain, snow, hail or ice). The higher clouds which don't produce precipitation are formed of the crystals while the lower clouds which produce precipitation are formed of water droplets which are the melted crystals.

As elevation increases, temperature decreases approximately at the rate of 12.5 degrees c every 1km upwards. As air temperature decreases, its capacity to hold water is less. Therfore as elevation increases, its water capacity will decrease.

A stationary front can bring prolonged periods of cloudy skies, precipitation, and sometimes thunderstorms. The weather along a stationary front can be more persistent and less variable compared to other types of fronts.

When clouds move slowly, it typically indicates stable atmospheric conditions. Slow-moving clouds may suggest calm weather with less wind or gradual changes in weather patterns. However, it is important to consider other factors such as cloud type and altitude to determine the overall weather situation.

The phenomenon you are referring to is called dew. Dew forms when the air near the ground cools down to the point where it can no longer hold all of its moisture, causing the water vapor to condense into liquid droplets on surfaces like grass or cars.

Temperature is the primary factor that affects the amount of water air can hold. Warmer air can hold more water vapor than cooler air. The relationship between temperature and water vapor capacity is known as the Clausius-Clapeyron equation.

The air is always pushing down on you, just slightly more under high pressure. You don't notice it because we've evolved to counter this downward force with an outward force of our own.

Evaporation and transpiration are the two processes in the hydrologic cycle responsible for returning water to the atmosphere. Evaporation is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas, primarily from surface water bodies, while transpiration is the release of water vapor from plants through their leaves.

High clouds (like cirrus clouds) tend to have a cooling effect on the Earth's surface by reflecting incoming solar radiation back to space. Low clouds (like stratus clouds) can have a warming effect by trapping heat and reducing the amount of outgoing longwave radiation that escapes into space.

dew

The process by which water falls to the earth is called precipitation. This can occur in various forms such as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

The characteristic that allows the troposphere to contain a significant amount of water vapour is its ability to hold moisture through temperature regulation. The warmer the air, the more water vapor it can hold. This is because warm air has a higher capacity to hold water vapor compared to cold air.