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Home , Cloud, Drizzle

Period _____ Name ______

Name That !

What’s the going to be like today? We’re always asking that. We need to know. The weather affects what we wear, what we need to take with us, and what we do. Will we need to wear shorts, or a sweater and warm pants? Will we need to take an umbrella or a heavy coat? Can we play outside after school? You can learn to predict the weather. You don’t need a lot of equipment or fancy stuff – just use your eyes! Go outside and look at the . Clouds come in different shapes, sizes, and colors. You can use what you know about clouds to find out what the weather will bring.

Okay, here’s what you need to know about clouds. Clouds are named by the way they look. We use Latin root words to name them. Clouds come in different sizes and shapes. They are formed and drift along at different heights in the . All of these things help us name them and know what kind of weather they may bring. There are three main types of clouds: cumulus, cirrus, and stratus.

When the weather is fair, we see cumulus clouds. Fair weather is fine, sunny weather with no chance of , , or any other . Cumulus clouds are , puffy clouds that may look like cauliflower. In Latin, cumulus means “heap.” You may see heaps and heaps of these white, fluffy, cotton-ball-looking clouds. Usually there are large of clear blue sky in between them. Now you know that when you see them, you will know that the weather will be fair and sunny.

Cirrus clouds mean fair weather, too. Cirrus comes from the Latin word for “curl of hair.” These high, wispy clouds look like curly swirls in the sky. They curl in the direction the is blowing. No precipitation will fall from cirrus clouds. They occur very high in the sky – about 4 miles to 8 miles high! They are usually in a thin layer; passes through them.

Stratus comes from the Latin word meaning “to spread out.” Stratus clouds spread out and usually cover the whole sky like a blanket. They occur in horizontal layers and are usually the same color of dark gray all across the sky. They usually bring rain or .

Now that you have learned the three basic cloud types, you can learn about the prefixes that go with them. Clouds are given prefixes that describe their height in the sky where they formed. The prefix cirro- is used for clouds that are formed high in the sky. These clouds form above 20,000 feet, or more than three miles high. High clouds might be cirrus, cirrostratus, or cirrocumulus. These are all made of crystals because they are formed so high in the sky where it is cold. These sometimes cause a halo around the moon.

Middle-level clouds are described with the prefix alto-. These clouds form between 8,000 to 20,000 feet and are made of droplets. Altocumulus clouds look like fuzzy bubbles that are connected in long rows. These groups of fleecy-looking clouds may be white or gray. When you see these clouds, it usually means a is coming. If it is warm and humid, a can be predicted. Another type of middle-level cloud is the altostratus. These are grayish-blue clouds that usually cover the whole sky. When you see these, you can expect widespread to occur. They may bring rain or snow.

Low clouds may be called stratus, stratocumulus, or nimbostratus. These clouds usually form below 8,000 feet. They usually produce light rain or drizzle, but they can produce snow during cold weather. They are gray and cover the entire sky. Stratus clouds are uniformly gray and look like . They may bring drizzle. Nimbostratus clouds are dark, and when you see them, you can predict light-to-moderate, steady precipitation. Stratocumulus clouds are lumpy. They are different shades of light and dark gray. There may be patches of clear sky between them. They usually only produce light precipitation.

There are two other cloud types to learn. These clouds have vertical development. This means they grow in height. The taller , the more severe the weather they will bring. These two types are cumulus and cumulonimbus. Cumulus clouds are low clouds and look like puffy white cotton balls. If they don’t have much height, you can predict fair weather. The greater their vertical development, or the taller they are, the greater the possibility of showers with perhaps, . Cumulonimbus clouds have a flat bottom rising up into an anvil-shaped top. These are classic “thunderheads” and bring heavy precipitation, thunder, , and . When you see these clouds, watch out; will provide quite a show.

QUESTIONS/TASKS:

There are three basic cloud types that are named for their shapes. Match these cloud types to their descriptions.

1. cirrus a. heaps of white, fluffy clouds 2. cumulus b. layers of clouds that blanket the sky 3. stratus c. wispy, thin, curly clouds

Fill in the blank: Name these cloud layers with the appropriate prefix or root word that describes their height.

1. High clouds may be: cirrus, ______stratus, or ______cumulus 2. Middle clouds may be ______cumulus or ______stratus

3. Low clouds may be stratus, ______cumulus, or nimbo ______

Mulitple Choice Questions: Circle the correct answer.

1. Heaps of white, puffy clouds that may look like cauliflower are: a. cumulus b. cirrus c. stratus d. nimbostratus

2. High, swirly “curls” of clouds are called: a. cumulus b. cirrus c. stratus d. nimbostratus

3. Clouds that are spread out in layers like a blanket are called: a. cumulus b. cirrus c. stratus d. cumulonimbus

4. A cloud that forms at the height of 10,000 feet would have the prefix: a. cirro b. alto c. strato d. middle-

5. High clouds that formed above the height of 20,000 feet would have the prefix: a. cirro b. alto c. strato d. higho-

6. Very tall clouds that have an anvil-shaped top are called: a. cumulus b. cirrus c. stratus d. cumulonimbus

Drawing Task:

On the back of this paper, draw (do not ) and label the different cloud types shown on page 77 in the green textbook. Be sure your drawing is NEAT and include the number scale shown on the side of the picture.