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Lecture 1: How to identify and name clouds (introduction to weather)

Mel Strong・2 minutes read

Luke Howard developed a cloud naming system in 1802 based on shape and height, with categories such as cumuliform and cirroform. Clouds are named according to their characteristics and location in the atmosphere, such as cumulonimbus clouds that can produce thunderstorms and anvils indicating precipitation.

Insights

  • Luke Howard created a cloud classification system in 1802 based on shape and height, with categories like cumuliform, stratiform, and cirroform, and distinctions of low, middle, and high levels, aiding in the identification and understanding of clouds in the sky.
  • Anvils on cumulonimbus clouds indicate thunderstorms and precipitation, with distinct rain boundaries visible over the Sandia Mountains, showcasing the practical application of cloud classification in meteorology and the significance of cloud features in predicting weather patterns.

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  • What did Luke Howard develop in 1802?

    Cloud naming system

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Summary

00:00

Cloud Classification System by Luke Howard

  • Luke Howard, a pharmacist and cloud enthusiast, developed a cloud naming system in 1802.
  • Howard's system categorizes clouds based on shape and height above the ground.
  • Cloud shapes in the system include cumuliform, stratiform, and cirroform.
  • Heights are classified as low, middle, and high, corresponding to layers in the atmosphere.
  • The troposphere and stratosphere are separated by a point where the atmosphere's temperature changes.
  • Clouds are named based on their shape and height, with prefixes indicating mid and high levels.
  • Cumuliform clouds, like cumulus, are puffy and low-lying, resembling cotton or cauliflower.
  • Stratiform clouds are dense, covering the sky like a blanket, with less defined features.
  • Cirroform clouds, such as cirrocumulus, are wispy and high up, often forming patterns.
  • Cumulonimbus clouds, known as thunderstorms, can exist at all three levels and produce precipitation.

15:26

Cloud Types and Weather Indicators in Sky

  • Anvils in the sky indicate rain or snow, specifically cumulonimbus clouds.
  • Cumulonimbus clouds start without anvils but develop them as they mature.
  • Anvils signify a thunderstorm and precipitation.
  • Thunderstorms over the Sandia Mountains show clear rain boundaries, indicating cumulonimbus clouds.
  • Cumulonimbus clouds can also occur in winter, with ice crystals throughout.
  • Stratocumulus clouds form when multiple puffy clouds almost touch, common over oceans.
  • Stratocumulus clouds appear heavy and bulbous, with breaks between clouds.
  • Altostratus clouds are thinner, allowing a fuzzy sun to be visible.
  • Cirrostratus clouds at the top of the troposphere are thin and icy, creating a ring around the sun.
  • Cirrus clouds, the only high-level sea-form clouds, have various wispy textures and shapes.

30:41

Cloud Classification and Unique Mammatus Clouds

  • Mammatus clouds, characterized by sinking blobs of cold air, often appear before or after thunderstorms, forming a droopy cloud structure known as mammatus. These unique clouds can be observed in New Mexico during the summer, with the best viewing time being late afternoon when the Sun angle is low.
  • The classification of clouds includes 10 types established by Luke Howard in 1802, with additional types like lenticular and mammatus that do not neatly fit into the original system. The next lecture will delve into humidity and the formation of clouds, offering a deeper understanding of these atmospheric phenomena.
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