Cloud Morphology

Mechanism of cloud formation

Types of clouds & Nomenclature

Primary Classification

Secondary Classification

Low level clouds (Troposphere)

Mid level clouds (Stratosphere)

High level clouds (Mesosphere)

Noctilucent Clouds

What are clouds?

Clouds are formed of tiny droplets of water
or ice.
Clouds form when water vapour cools and
condenses.
The temperature at which condensation
occurs is called dew point.
Condensation also requires nuclei (Aerosol
particles) such as dust or soot.

Have you ever wondered why clouds have such unusual names?
In 1802 an Englishman by the name of Luke Howard invented the cloud naming system that is still in
use today. Howard used Latin names to describe clouds. (The first part of a cloud's name describes
height, the second part shape.)
The prefixes denoting heights are: cirro, high clouds above 20,000 feet (6,250 meters), alto and mid
level clouds between 6,000 - 20,000 feet (1,875 - 6,250 meters). There is no prefix for low level
clouds.
The names denoting shapes are:cirrus mean curly or fibrous, stratus means layered, while
cumulus means lumpy or piled.
Nimbo or nimbus is added to indicate that a cloud can produce precipitation.
Given that information, describe what each of the following clouds would look and act like?
Cumulonimbus
Nimbostartus
Cirrocumulus
Altostratus

Types of Ascent of a cloud

=>

formation of different kind of clouds.

Local ascent of warm, buoyant air parcels in a conditionally unstable environment will
result in the production of convective clouds
Diameter: 0.1 to 10 km
Vertical velocity: few meters per sec
Water content: 1g/cubic meter

Forced lifting of stable air will result in the formation of layer clouds.
Occurrence between 0 km to tropopause.
Spread over hundreds of sq.km
Vertical velocity: few cm to 10 cm/sec
Water content: few tenths of a gm/cubic meter

Forced lifting of air as it passes over hills or mountains => orographic clouds

Cooling of air below dew point after coming in contact with a cold surface => fog clouds

Cloud classification
Depending on the region of occurrence
Low-level Clouds: < 6,500 ft.
Mid-level Clouds: 6,500 to 23,000 ft.
High-level Clouds: 16,500 to 45,000 ft.

The primary classification of clouds mainly uses four Latin names coined by
Luke Howard and Quaker in 1802

1. Cumulus

(White and puffy clouds)

2. Stratus

(Sheets of low and grey clouds)

3. Cirrus

(Thin feather like clouds)

4. Cumulonimbus (Rain clouds)

The secondary classification of the clouds will be based on their height of occurrence.

Cumulus Clouds

Low altitude cloud.

Typical base below 7,000 feet.

Clearly identified by distinct edges.

Usually white and puffy.

Noticeable vertical development.

can be seen as isolated or grouped.

Mostly composed of water droplets.

In colder climates have ice crystals.

Formation: Thermal convection

currents

Seen : Worldwide except Antarctica

because it is too cold.

Precipitation: NONE

Stratus Clouds

These are lowest of the low lying

clouds

Mainly seen as layered clouds.

The base below 7,000 feet.

They appear as a grey overcast or can

also be found scattered.

Mainly water droplets.

Individual stratus clouds have ill

defined edges.

Seen: Worldwide mainly at coasts and

near mountains.

Precipitation: LITTLE DRIZZLE

Cirrus Clouds

They are seen at high altitudes.

Seen as very thin feather like clouds.

Highest of all the clouds.

Occurrence: 16,500-45,000 ft.

Mostly made of ice crystal.

Generally occur in fair weather and

point in the direction of the air
movement.

Seen: Worldwide

Typical bases above 18,000 feet.

Precipitation: None that reaches

Earth.

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Tallest of all the clouds

Dark towering clouds produce Rain,

Thunderstorms, Lightening, Strong
winds, Tornados etc.

They can span all cloud layers

Can reach upto a maximum altitude of

60,000 feet.

Formation: Upwardly mobile cumulus

clouds.

Seen: Mainly in tropics rare in poles.

Cumulonimbus clouds usually have

large anvil-shaped tops because of the
stronger winds at
those higher levels of the atmosphere.

Most magnificent cloud of all.

Precipitation: H E A V Y

Secondary cloud classification

Stratocumulus

Based on altitude of occurrence.

Occurrence: 2,000 6,500 ft

Seen: Worldwide very common

Cumulus
Low Clouds
(<6500 ft)

Cumulonimbus
Stratus
Stratocumulus

Stratocumulus clouds usually

form from stratus and cumulus
clouds
Composition mainly water.

Precipitation: Occassional light rain, snow

Mid level clouds:

Altocumulus:
Form due to Mid-level atmospheric and wave propagation

Altocumulus

Altostratus

Nimbostratus

Seen: 6,500-18,000 feet

Worldwide occurrence
Precipitation; light rain.
Composition: Liquid water

Altostratus

Below 6,500 ft is stratus

Between 6,500 to 23,000 ft is altostratus clouds

Usually formed from the thickening and lowering of a cirrostratus cloud on its way
to becoming a nimbostratus cloud

Worldwide occurrence, mainly at mid latitudes

Precipitation: Occassional rain and snow.

Altocumulus
Altostratus

Nimbostratus:

Mainly rain clouds.

Usually formed from the thickening and lowering of a altostratus cloud.

Seen at 2,000 to 18,000 feet.

World wide occurrence and common in mid latitudes.

Precipitation: Moderate to heavy rain or snow, which is generally steady and prolonged

High Clouds

Cirrocumulus

Cirrocumulus clouds are usually a transitional phase between cirrus and

cirrostratus clouds.

Cirrus

Cirrocumulus

Worldwide occurrence at 16,500 to 45,000 feet

Cirrostratus

Mainly composes of ice crystals

Cloudlets formed by choppy winds and high moisture levels in upper

troposphere.

Cirrostratus:

Formation: Spreading and joining of cirrus clouds

They are mainly delicate cloud streaks

World wide occurrence at 20,000-42,000 ft.

Composition: Ice crystals

Precipitation: none

Produce a variety of optical effects in the upper atmosphere.

Noctilucent Clouds
-

The most brightest and magnificent clouds on Earth.

Highest clouds in Earths atmosphere (75 85 km).

Contains mainly water ice.

Seen only in deep twilights.

Very difficult to spot.

Only between 50 70 deg of north and south of equator.

Formation is not totally understood.

* Phase changes of water

vapor liquid
liquid solid
vapor solid
The phase transitions from left to right are in increased molecular order. They must
overcome a strong free energy barrier
These phase changes do not occur at thermodynamic equilibrium
Ex: water droplets are characterized by strong surface tension forces. For a droplet to
grow by condensation from vapor, the surface tension has to be exceeded by a strong
gradient in the vapor pressure.
Saturation is equilbirum situation when rates of evaporation is equal to the rate of
condensation. Since there is free energy barrier, phase transition does not occur at
equilibrium saturation of bulk water. Vapor (Pure) when cooled adiabatically to
equilibrium saturation should not give droplets.
This can happen only when the saturation or RH reaches several hundred percent.

SO HOW DOES DROPLETS FORM IMMEDIATELY WHEN RH=100 @ LCL

Nucleation: Random formation of a new embyonic phase within the

supersaturated parent phase. First order phase transitions, associated
with latent heat.
Homogeneous nucleation: Phase transition occurs at random location
within the parent phase, without the presence of a foreign surface. E.g.
cloud droplets forming directly from the vapor phase.
Homogeneous cloud droplet nucleation requires several hundred
percent supersaturation
In the presence of soluble CCN, no real nucleation process is
requiredto form cloud droplets.
Cloud droplets can form close to equilibrium saturation with CCN.
Heterogeneous nucleation: Formation of the new phase on a foreign
surface (e.g. insoluble aerosol particles)

 Many different types of condensation nuclei

are present in the atmosphere
Some becomes wetted at relative humidities
less than 100% and account for haze that
impedes visibility.
The relatively large condensation nuclei are
those which may grow to cloud droplet sizes.
When the moist air rises (cooled) in adiabatic
ascent, the relative humidity reaches 100%
the hygroscopic nuclei then begin to serve
as centers of condensation.

 Precipitation is developed when the cloud

becomes unstable.
When the cloud becomes unstable the
droplets may grow at the expense of other
droplets.
There are two mechanism by which the
cloud becomes unstable.
1. Collision and Coalescence
2. Interaction between droplets and ice
crystals.

1. When a large drops falls through small drops, it will collide with a limited
number of droplets and it may result in the growth of the droplet. Clouds with
larger droplets tend to become unstable and result in precipitation.
2. When an ice crystal exists in the presence of large number of supercooled water
droplets The situation is immediately unstable.
3. Equilibrium vapor pressure over ice is less than that over water at the same
temperature
4. This implies that the ice crystals grow by diffusion of vapor and drops evaporate
to compensate for this.
5. When the ice crystal becomes sufficiently larger, it will fall through the other
droplets, Now if the collision is with ice crsytals, then it will result in snow
flakes, or if the ice crystal collects water it will result in hail.
6. Once the temperature reaches more than 00 C. melting might happen and as a
result we would see water emerge from the base of the cloud.

Rain Drops, Cloud Droplets, and

CCN

relative sizes of rain drops, cloud drops, and CCN:

raindrops - 2000 mm = 2 mm
fall at a speed of 4-5 ms-1

cloud drops - 20 mm = 0.02 mm

remain suspended in the air

CCN - 0.2 mm = 0.0002 mm

remain suspended in the air

To get a droplet (20 mm) to grow to raindrop size (2000mm) it must

increase in size by a factor of 100 (two orders of magnitude):
2000mm/20mm = 100

this occurs in about 30 minutes in a thunderstorm!!!

How does this happen??

Processes for Cloud Droplet

Growth
How does this happen??
By:
condensation
collision/coalescence
ice-crystal process

Water Droplet Growth

Condensation & Collision

Condensational growth: diffusion of vapor to droplet

Collisional growth: collision and coalescence (accretion, coagulation)

between droplets

Water Droplet Growth - Condensation

Flux of vapor to droplet (schematic shows net flux of vapor towards
droplet, i.e., droplet grows)

Need to consider:
1.

Vapor flux due to gradient between saturation vapor pressure at droplet surface and environment (at
).

2.

Effect of Latent heat effecting droplet saturation vapor pressure (equilibrium temperature accounting
for heat flux away from droplet).

Cloud Droplet Growth by

Condensation
Consider pure water in equilibrium with air
above it

C-C equation to calculate es

Cloud Droplet Growth by

Condensation
Consider pure water in equilibrium with air above it:
then the RH = 100%
evaporation = condensation
vapor pressure (e) = saturation vapor pressure (es)
if evaporation > condensation, water is _________
if evaporation < condensation, water is ________
Now, a droplet surface is not flat, instead, it has
curvature.....
Q: how does curvature affect the
evaporation/condensation process??

Equilibrium

The Curvature Effect

Surface tension

Work per unit area necessary to increase the surface

area.
Process stores potential energy in the surface.
Units: J/m2 or N/m.
For water ~ 7.5x10-2 N/m at meteorological temps.

Vapor pressure

e
The pressure on a liquid or solid surface due to the
partial pressure of the molecules of that substance in
the gas phase which surrounds the surface.

Flat versus Curved Water

Surfaces

Flat versus Curved Water

Surfaces: curvature effect

more energy is required to maintain the "curvature" of the drop

therefore, the water molecules on the surface of the drop have more energy
therefore, they evaporate more readily that from the flat water surface
(compare the length of the red arrows)
therefore: evaporation rate off curved surface > evaporation rate off of flat
surface
since air above both surfaces is saturated, then
evaporation rate = condensation rate
therefore, condensation rate onto droplet > condensation rate onto flat water
surface
therefore, esdrop > esflat
therefore:
if RHflat = 100%, then RHdrop > 100%
the air surrounding the drop must be supersaturated!!

This is called the curvature effect

Curvature Effect
Curvature effect -->
notice that for the droplet to be in equilibrium
(evaporation off drop = condensation onto drop),
the environment must be supersaturated
also notice that the curvature effect
is larger for smaller drops
this makes sense since smaller drops
have more curvature that larger drops

Class activity-Curvature Effect

Q: what will happen to
a drop 1.9 mm in size
that is in a cloud
where the RH is
100.05%?
Q: what will happen to
a drop 1.9 mm in size
that is in a cloud
where the RH is
100.15%?

KELVINS EQUATION

We will then make a suitable transformation to deduce the vapour pressure over a spherical
drop of radius r.

We begin with a sketch of the meniscus in a capillary tube that is inserted into the plane
surface of a bulk liquid: