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The clouds that are puffy masses formed by vertically rising air are commonly known as thunderheads. These clouds, with the scientific name of cumulonimbus, may produce severe weather such as lightning, hail, and even tornadoes.
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∙ 9y ago
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∙ 15y agoCumulus. These are puffy, flat-bottomed clouds.
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∙ 16y agoCumulus clouds are generally puffy. The link has pictures and additional material.
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∙ 9y agoThe clouds that are puffy are cumulus clouds. They are the puffy white clouds that have flat-like bottoms that look similar to cotton.
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∙ 12y agoThe thick fluffy clouds are cumulus clouds.
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∙ 11y agoWiki User
∙ 16y agoa cumulus cloud
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∙ 13y agocumulus
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∙ 12y agoCumulous
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What are low flying clouds called?
A boat on the water is a great place to watch clouds. It's also a pleasant way to pass the time when you are bored. It can also save you and your family from being caught in a sudden thunderstorm. A skipper knows to always check the weather forecast before leaving the dock, but sometimes weather changes happen very rapidly. You can "keep a weather eye" by watching clouds and paying attention to changes in the wind and the seas.When I first started to learn about clouds, I found all the names confusing and hard to remember. So I developed my own system for classifying clouds. (If you have your own system, let us know and we'll put it up here.)First you need to identify clouds by their shape. There are actually ten different types of clouds, but for now we'll concentrate on two basic shapes. The first type looks like spoonfuls of marshmallow cream or cool whip (cool whip = cumulus). These are Cumulus clouds and they are puffy. Cumulus clouds can look like animals or people. The other shape of clouds is pretty flat and straight - your plain old white bread clouds (straight = stratus). Stratus clouds are flat (like bread) and can be layered or thin and wispy.Cumulus means "heap, a pile, an accumulation"I remember cumulus because they remind me of cool whip.Stratus means "spread out, flatten, cover with a layer"Flat and straight = stratusNimbus means "rainy cloud". Nimbus clouds can be either cumulus (puffy) or stratus (flat).That part's pretty easy. The other thing you need to know is the height of the clouds. There are three catagories of heights:Cloud GroupCloud HeightCloud TypesHigh Clouds = CirrusAbove 18,000 feetCirrusCirrostratusCirrocumulusMiddle Clouds = Alto6,500 feet to 18,000 feetAltostratusAltocumulusLow Clouds = StratusUp to 6,500 feetStratusStratocumulusNimbostratusand then there are clouds that can grow from low to high:Clouds with vertical growthCumulusCumulonimbusNames of specific types of clouds are created by combining the name of the cloud's shape with the name of the cloud's height.Cirros (high) or Cirro can be used with cumulus (heap, puffy) to indicate a cirrocumulus or high, puffy cloud. It can also be used with stratus(flat, layered) as in cirrostratus to indicate a high, flat or layered cloud.Alto can also be used with cumulus and stratus to indicate altocumulus and altostratus which are middle altitude puffy clouds and middle altitude flat or layered clouds respectively.Nimbo or nimbus might be used with cumulusor stratus to indicate a cloud formation that is producing rain. These clouds could be eithercumulonimbus which would be a puffy, vertically-rising rain cloud or nimbostratuswhich would be a sheet or flat-looking rain cloud.Then there's stratusstratus - low (stratus) and flat (stratus) - but since that is redundent, we just call them stratus. (I just made that up.)High clouds above 18,000 feet are cirrus clouds.Cirrus clouds are the most common of the high clouds. They are composed of ice and consist of long, thin, wispy streamers. Cirrus clouds are usually white and predict fair weather. Sometimes called mares tails, they stream with the wind. By watching the movement of cirrus clouds you can tell from which direction weather is approaching. The appearance of cirrus clouds usually indicates that a change in weather will occur within 24 hours.Cirrostratus are sheetlike, thin clouds that usually cover the entire sky. The sun or moon can shine through Cirrostratus clouds. Cirrostratus clouds usually come 12-24 hours before a rain or snow storm.Cirrocumulus are small, rounded puffs that usually appear in long rows. They are usually white, but sometimes appear gray. Cirrocumulus are usually seen in the winter and indicate fair, but cold, weather. In the tropics, they may indicate an approaching hurricane.Medium high clouds occupy altitudes of 6,500 feet to 18,000 feet. These clouds are called alto clouds. Alto clouds are used to predict weather changes in 6 to 12 hours.An Altostratus cloud usually covers the whole sky. The cloud looks gray or blue-gray. The sun or moon may shine through an Altostratus cloud, but will appear hazy. An altostratus cloud usually forms ahead of storms with continuous rain or snow.Altocumulus clouds are grayish-white with one part of the cloud darker than the other. Altocumulus clouds usually form in groups. If you see Altocumulus clouds on a warm, sticky morning, be prepared for thunderstorms by late afternoon.Low clouds, called stratus clouds, are at altitudes up to 6,500 feet. These clouds form a solid sheet or layer of cloud mass.Stratus clouds are uniform gray in color and almost cover the entire sky. Light mist or drizzle is sometimes associated with Stratus clouds. A Stratus cloud touching the ground is fog.Stratocumulus clouds are low, puffy and gray. Most form in rows with blue sky visible in between. Rain rarely occurs with Stratocumulus clouds, however, they can turn into Nimbostratus.Nimbostratus clouds are dark gray with a ragged base. Rain or snow is associated with Nimbostratus clouds.Clouds with vertical growthVertically developing clouds are the Cumulus(puffy) type. These small, lumpy clouds are low "fair weather" clouds. However, as they develop vertically (up) they may go from small, fair weather clouds to large, boiling, vertically-growing monsters called cumulonimbus.Cumulonimbusare generally known as thunderstorm clouds. High winds will flatten the top of the cloud into an anvil-like shape. Cumulonimbus are associated with heavy rain, snow, hail, lightning, and tornadoes. The anvil usually points in the direction the storm is moving.If you still can't remember all of the cloud names and formations, you can always watch the clouds for two things that indicate a high probability of a storm:A "lowering ceiling": This means that the height of the stratus (flat) clouds gets lower and lower. As the ceiling lowers you will see clouds in the following order:CirrusCirrostratusAltostratusStratusNimbostratus - storm clouds!If you see this happening, calmly tell the skipper "I believe we should head back now because I have observed increasingly lower cloud formations from cirrostratus to altostratus to stratus - and you know what THAT means!" (Right!)Watch for cumulus (puffy) clouds that start to rapidly develop vertically (up) to become cumulonimbus thunderstorm clouds. On hot and humid days, these storms occur over water as the radiant heat from the land absorbs moisture from nearby water and rises to produce thunderheads.This is an example of a cumulus cloud that is growing vertically (up). The bottom of the cloud is made of water droplets and the top is made of ice crystals. The cloud may be described as "boiling" but not because it's hot. Parts of the cloud roll in a circular motion, much like boiling water.A thunderstorm could develop very quickly.To sum it up; flat clouds getting lower or puffy clouds getting higher - keep your eye out for a storm.Other things to look for that indicate an approaching weather change:Weather changes generally come from the west/southwest so scan the sky with your weather eye, especially to the west.A sudden drop in temperature and change in the wind (increasing winds and/or seas) often means that a storm is near.If you have a barometer on your boat check it every two to three hours. A rapid drop in pressure means a storm is approaching.IF A STORM IS NEAR… The Most Important Thing for you to do is PUT ON YOUR LIFE JACKET. Stay low in the boat so you don't become a lightning rod! Help the skipper by maintaining a watch for other boats and floating stuff in the water and by fastening down loose gear, hatches and ports.
Does light reflect off of clouds?
Of course. The reason clouds appear white is that the vapor droplets in them are reflecting the full range of spectral emissions, which appears as white light. The sky is blue because smaller Oxygen and Nitrogen atoms selectively scatter blue light. When the weather is "fair" the white clouds will be distinct against the blue sky, but as there is more moisture in the air, there will be more white light reflected and the sky will "wash out."
What is the beginning of the scientific inquiry process?
Forming a hypothesis. First you must have an idea. Example: You notice that clouds are white. Hypothesis: Clouds are made of cotton. Ridiculous? Yes, but testable. Test by climbing a mountain, for example, and touching a cloud (you'll find yourself walking into a fog bank, which will invalidate your hypothesis, forcing you to rework it). New hypothesis: clouds are fog = clouds are steam. Then you proceed to test steam and see if it reflects light the same way clouds do.
What is it called when white blood cells eat bacteria?
they "engulf" the bacteria
What is a combination of several different wavelengths of light traveling together?
When the visible light of all wavelengths are combined, it is called white light.
What are white puffy clouds with flat bottoms?
Cumulous
What is a comulus cloud?
It a big puffy, white clouds that tend to have flat bottoms.
Masses of white puffy clouds are called what?
CUMULUS
What are puffy white clouds referred to?
In science, "puffy white clouds" are known as cumulus clouds.
What are tall white puffy clouds called?
You are possibly thinking of 'cumulo-nimbus' clouds
How do you describe a cumulus cloud?
they are mid altitude clouds, forms when warm air rises, they are also puffy, white clouds that tend to have flat bottoms, and they indicate fair weather
What are white and puffy clouds?
burimbus
How can you idnify cumulus clouds?
Cumulus clouds are the pig puffy white clouds.
What type of clouds have a white puffy apperance?
The clouds you are talking about are cumulus and if they are black and rain is falling they are called Nimbocumulus clouds IVE GOT SMARTICLES!!!!!!!
What characteristics does a cloud have?
Cumulus clouds are the extremely puffy clouds in the sky. The base of the cloud is usually flat and is topped by billowing towers of puffy white clouds resembling cauliflower heads.
Is cumulus short for cumulonimbus?
No. Cumulus clouds are the fairly small, puffy white clouds that usually come with nice weather. Cumulonimbus clouds are enormous towering clouds often called thunderheads as it is these clouds that become thunderstorms.
Are cumulonimbus and cumulus the same clouds?
No. Cumulus clouds are puffy white clouds that usually meand good weather. Cumulonimbus clouds are the clouds of thunderstorms.
