Nimbostratus cloudA nimbostratus cloud is a multilevel, amorphous, nearly uniform, and often dark-grey cloud that usually produces continuous rain, snow, or sleet, but no lightning or thunder. Although it is usually a low-based stratiform cloud, it actually forms most commonly in the middle level of the troposphere and then spreads vertically into the low and high levels. Nimbostratus usually produces precipitation over a wide area.
FogFog is a visible aerosol consisting of tiny waterdroplets or ice crystals held in the air near the Earth's surface. Fog can be considered a type of low-lying cloud usually resembling stratus and is heavily influenced by nearby bodies of water, topography, and wind conditions. In turn, fog affects many human activities, such as shipping, travel, and warfare. Recent atmospheric research indicates that fog also functions as an active aquatic ecosystem.
DrizzleDrizzle is a light, sporadic precipitation which consists of liquid water drops that are smaller than those of normal rain – generally smaller than 0.5 mm (0.02 in) in diameter. Drizzle is normally produced by low stratiform clouds and stratocumulus clouds. Precipitation rates from drizzle are on the order of a millimetre (0.04 in) per day or less at the ground.
PrecipitationCondensed water vapor that falls from clouds30-year (1991–2020) mean annual total precipitation based on ERA5 reanalysis data.In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls from clouds due to gravitational pull. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, rain and snow mixed ("sleet" in Commonwealth usage), snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail.
CloudVisible mass of particles suspended in the atmosphereCloudscape over Borneo, taken by the International Space StationIn meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, ice crystals, or other particles, suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water, primarily, comprises the droplets and crystals.
Cumulus cloudCumulus clouds are clouds that have flat bases and are often described as puffy, cotton-like, or fluffy in appearance. Their name derives from the Latin, meaning "heap" or "pile". Cumulus clouds are low-level clouds, generally less than 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in altitude unless they are the more vertical cumulus congestus form. Cumulus clouds may appear by themselves, in lines, or in clusters.
Cloud baseA cloud base (or the base of the cloud) is the lowest altitude of the visible portion of a cloud. It is traditionally expressed either in metres or feet above mean sea level or above a planetary surface, or as the pressure level corresponding to this altitude in hectopascals (hPa, equivalent to the millibar). MeasurementThe height of the cloud base can be measured using a ceilometer.
Cloud heightThe cloud height, more commonly known as cloud thickness or depth, is the distance between the cloud base and the cloud top. It is traditionally expressed either in metres or as a pressure difference in hectopascal (hPa, equivalent to millibar). Sometimes, the expression cloud height is used instead of cloud base, in which case the context has to clarify whether the intent is to designate the height of the base of the cloud or the size of it.
AltitudeAltitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context (e.g., aviation, geometry, geographical survey, sport, or atmospheric pressure). Although the term altitude is commonly used to mean the height above sea level of a location, in geography the term elevation is often preferred for this usage.
ThermalA thermal column (or thermal) is a rising mass of buoyant air, a convective current in the atmosphere, that transfers heat energy vertically. Thermals are created by the uneven heating of Earth's surface from solar radiation, and are an example of convection, specifically atmospheric convection. Thermals on EarthThe Sun warms the ground, which in turn warms the air directly above. The warm air near the surface expands, becoming less dense than the surrounding air.
SnowPrecipitation in the form of ice crystal flakesSnow is a form of solidatmosphericprecipitation consisting of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the air—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground, where they undergo further changes.
HazeDry particulates obscuring clarity of the sky Harmattan Haze in Abuja Haze over the Mojave Desert from a brush fire in Santa Barbara, California, seen as the Sun descends on the 2016 June solstice, allows the Sun to be photographed without a filter. Haze as smoke pollution over the Mojave from fires in the Inland Empire, June 2016, demonstrates the loss of contrast to the Sun, and the landscape in general.
ConvectionFluid flow that occurs due to heterogeneous fluid properties and body forces Simulation of thermal convection in the Earth's mantle. Hot areas are shown in red, cold areas are shown in blue. A hot, less-dense material at the bottom moves upwards, and likewise, cold material from the top moves downwards. Convection is the transfer of heat through the physical movement of fluids (liquids or gases), where warmer, less-dense material rises and cooler, denser material sinks.
stratusRelated word or term.undulationRelated word or term.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.