Clouds

Question 1

What are the 4 groups of cloud called?

Answer 1

Curriform (whispy)
Cumuliform (heaped)
Stratiform (layered)
Nimbus (rain bearing)

Question 2

What is a high level cloud?

Answer 2

Base is at 20,000ft or above

Question 3

What is a medium level cloud?

Answer 3

Base is between 6,500 and 20,000ft

Question 4

What is a low level cloud?

Answer 4

Base is below 6,500ft

Question 5

What does ‘cirrus’ tell us about the cloud?

Answer 5

It is a high level cloud (+20,000ft base)

Question 6

What does ‘alto’ tell us about the cloud?

Answer 6

It is a mid level cloud (6,500-20,000ft base)

Question 7

What is a Ci cloud?

Answer 7

Cirrus
High level
Whispy clouds

Question 8

What is a cirrus cloud?

Answer 8

High level whispy

Question 9

What does Ci stand for?

Answer 9

Cirrus

Question 10

What is a Cc cloud?

Answer 10

Cirrocumulus
High level
Thin white ripples/waves

Question 11

What does Cc stand for?

Answer 11

Cirrocumulus

Question 12

What is a Cs cloud?

Answer 12

Cirrostratus
High level
Transparent white sheet, makes a halo round the sun

Question 13

What level is a Cs cloud?

Answer 13

High level (base above 20,000ft)

Question 14

What level is a Cc cloud?

Answer 14

High level (base above 20,000ft)

Question 15

What level is a Ci cloud?

Answer 15

High level (base above 20,000ft)

Question 16

What does ‘alto’ tell us about the cloud?

Answer 16

It is mid level (base between 6,500 and 20,000ft)

Question 17

At is an Ac cloud?

Answer 17

Altocumulus
Mid level
Broken white globular masses

Question 18

What is an altocumulus cloud?

Answer 18

Mid level
White globular masses

Question 19

What does Ac stand for?

Answer 19

Altocumulus

Question 20

What is an As cloud?

Answer 20

Altostratus
Mid level
Layer of grey/blue that covers the sky
Can rain or snow

Question 21

What type of cloud is curriform?

Answer 21

Whispy

Question 22

Why type of cloud is cumuliform?

Answer 22

Heaped

Question 23

What type of cloud is stratiform?

Answer 23

Layered

Question 24

What type of cloud is nimbus?

Answer 24

Rain bearing

Question 25

What is a Ns cloud?

Answer 25

Nimbostratus Low level Dark grey, thick cloud Constant rain and severe turbulence

Question 26

What is a Nimbostratus cloud?

Answer 26

Thick dark grey cloud causing heavy rain and severe turbulence

Question 27

What does Ns stand for?

Answer 27

Nimbostratus cloud Flat or layered rain bearing cloud Mid level

Question 28

What is a Sc cloud?

Answer 28

Stratocumulus Low level Grey/ white sheet that also has rolls and masses Slight rain or drizzle if any

Question 29

What is a stratocumulus?

Answer 29

Low level Grey white sheet with globular masses and rolls Sometimes has very light rain

Question 30

What does Sc stand for?

Answer 30

Stratocumulus Low level Layered and rain bearing

Question 31

What is an St Cloud?

Answer 31

Stratus Low level Layer of grey cloud with uniform base

Question 32

What is a stratus cloud?

Answer 32

Low level Grey sheet with uniform base

Question 33

What does St stand for?

Answer 33

Stratus

Question 34

What is a Cu cloud?

Answer 34

Cumulus Low level Thick detached clouds Large cumulus can result in rain

Question 35

What is a cumulus cloud?

Answer 35

Low level thick cloud Large ones can cause rain

Question 36

What does Cu stand for?

Answer 36

Cumulus

Question 37

What is a Cb cloud?

Answer 37

Cumulonimbus Low level Dense cloud that is very tall Lightening thunder heavy rain snow and hail with severe turbulence

Question 38

What is a cumulonimbus cloud?

Answer 38

Low level Thick and tall Very bad weather and severe turbulence

Question 39

What does Cb stand for?

Answer 39

Cumulonimbus

Question 40

High level clouds are found at ___________ft

Answer 40

20,000ft +

Question 41

Middle level clouds are found at _________ft

Answer 41

6,500 - 20,000 ft

Question 42

Low level clouds are found at ________ft

Answer 42

6,500ft or less

Question 43

What does saturated air mean?

Answer 43

100% humid

Question 44

What does unsaturated air mean?

Answer 44

Less than 100% humid

Question 45

Relative humidity =

Answer 45

Vapour pressure/ saturation vapour pressure x100

Question 46

How do clouds form?

Answer 46

Air cools to below the dew point

Question 47

DALR =

Answer 47

Dry adaibatic laps rate 3•C per 1000ft

Question 48

SALR =

Answer 48

Saturated adaibatic lapse rate 1.5•C per 1000ft

Question 49

What is unstable air?

Answer 49

ELR is more than DALR and SALR Displaced air rises Usually form cumuliform clouds

Question 50

What is neutral air?

Answer 50

ELR = DALR or SALR Displaced air stays at the place it is displaced at Usually forms stratiform clouds

Question 51

What is stable air?

Answer 51

ELR is less than SALR and DALR Displaced air will return to where it was Results in fog or stratiform clouds

Question 52

What do roll clouds indicate?

Answer 52

Turbulence

Question 53

What happens when a large mass of warm air meets a large mass of cold air?

Answer 53

The cold air undercuts the warm air moving it up. This means the air cools and if it reaches dew point then clouds will form

Question 54

When warm air meets cool air what is the order of cloud formation?

Answer 54

Ns. As. Cs. Cl.

Question 55

What are the 5 types of precipitation?

Answer 55

Rain - water droplets Drizzle - fine droplets Snow - ice crystals Hail - ice balls Freezing rain/ freezing drizzle - freezes on contact with cold surface

Question 56

SKC

Answer 56

Sky clear

Question 57

FEW

Answer 57

1-2 / 8 of the sky covered

Question 58

SCT

Answer 58

3-4/ 8 of the sky covered

Question 59

BKN

Answer 59

5-7/ 8 of the sky covered

Question 60

OVC

Answer 60

Sky covered

Question 61

The base of each cloud layer is given in ____

Answer 61

QFE

Question 62

FEW 005 SCT 012 BKN 050

Answer 62

1-2 oktas of cloud at 500ft aal 3-4 oktas of cloud at 1200ft aal 5-7 oktas of cloud at 5000ft aal

Question 63

What is radiation fog?

Answer 63

Fog caused my warm moist air and a cloudless night.

Question 64

What is advection fog

Answer 64

Sea fog that is caused by warm moist air passing over a cool surface. Can exist in windy conditions

Question 65

What is frontal fog

Answer 65

2 fronts meet and cloud reaches the ground or the air becomes saturated due to rainfall

Question 66

Orographic fog means

Answer 66

Hill fog