What must happen for a cloud to form and how precipitation develops within clouds?
The terrestrial irradiation heats the air which rises forming clouds. Once the sun's heat heats the water, it evaporates and breaks the bonds between the H2O molecules. The air forms a kind of invisible globe that surrounds the water molecules in a gaseous state and begins to raise them. As it warms up, the air rises and rises until it reaches its dew point which will be when the water vapor condenses into very small drops of water or small ice crystals.
These droplets or tiny crystals move constantly because they are suspended in the air and when they are subjected to rising currents, so they collide with each other and group together forming clouds. Depending on the atmospheric conditions, an increase in their thickness may occur so as to cause them to precipitate. The dew point therefore arrives when the relative humidity increases and the temperature does not change or when the temperature drops but the relative humidity is maintained. The relative humidity determines the ability of the air to store water and depends on the saturation point. Absolute humidity is the mass of water vapor that is present in a certain volume of air and is expressed in grams per cubic meter. Absolute humidity indicates how much water can be extracted from the atmosphere by precipitation.
How are clouds and fog similar yet different?
When the air condenses in the sky the clouds form and when the water condenses near the ground, the fog appears. Fog and fog, despite being different phenomena, have the same origin: they are formed in areas where there is a lot of humidity, such as river valleys, lakes and ports. If the hot air meets cold surfaces, then the humidity condenses forming the fog.
3 cloud types
Cirrus: They are white clouds, transparent and without internal shadows. They are clouds formed by ice crystals due to the altitude at which they are found. They are like long, thin filaments in the form of parallel lines. It can be seen with the naked eye looking at the sky and seeing how it seems they had painted the sky with brushstrokes. If the entire sky is covered with cirrus clouds, it is very likely that in the next 24 hours a sudden change in time will be experienced. Usually, there are usually changes in decreases in temperatures.
Cumulus: They have a large size with a massive appearance and very marked shadows. That is, they are gray clouds. They have a horizontal base and on the top large vertical protrusions that are continuously deformed, presenting an aspect similar to a large cauliflower. The Clusters correspond to good weather when there is low ambient humidity and little vertical air movement. In the case of high humidity and strong updrafts, the Clusters can acquire a large size causing storms and heavy downpours.
Cumulonimbus: Large size and massive appearance. It gives the impression of mountains whose cusp can have the shape of a fungus; and that presents a smooth structure where different intensities of the gray color are observed. These clouds can have large ice crystals on top. Cumulonimbus are the typical clouds of intense storms and can produce hail.
