Weather  Page 3
    Secondly, there are the altocumulus; which are gray or white layers or patches of solid clouds having rounded shapes. Sometimes described as puffs or rolls of cloud visible at medium heights. They indicate a possibility of rain within the next 12-15 hours.

Clouds reaching up to 14,000 feet

    Clouds that develop vertically at many altitudes and can reach up to 14,000 feet. A fair weather cloud of this nature is called cumulus; has flat bases and dome shaped-tops. They drift with billowing puffs of white clouds silhouetted against a blue sky. As long as they maintain their shape fair weather will prevail; nickname–cauliflowers.
    The second cloud that develops vertically is the cumulonimbus; heavy, dark mountainous tops that seem to bulge. Expect showers, thunder, and lightning; nickname–thunderheads. Has an anvil base and very dangerous storms develop.

High clouds with bases starting at 20,000 feet

Cirrus: high, long wispy cirrus clouds generally indicate fair weather. If a strong wind is blowing it may indicate a change in the weather during winter. Due to their thin feathery wisps of clouds they have been nicknamed–mare's tails.
    Cirrostratus: thin white clouds with dark streaks that resemble veils. They are recognizable by the thin, white sheets of ice clouds nicknamed–bedsheet clouds.
    Cirrocumulus: thin clouds that look like small cotton patches, they rise up and break up into small patches resembling fish scales; nickname–mackerel sky.

    A tornado develops when warm, low-pressure air rises to meet high winds. A hurricane is a tropical storm caused by hot air rising from the sea. Electrical storms are caused when rising warm air meets colder air. Static electricity is created as water droplets are violently agitated and the electricity strikes the closest object.

Live each day without getting hit in the face with

a cloud burst of dirty rain.



THE END