Jul 26, 2007 4:17 pm US/Eastern
WeatherWise: The Story Behind Clouds
by Mish Michaels
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Clouds decorate our world, capturing our imagination with their beauty and wonder. They form and flee before our eyes and inspire us to look skyward.
"I'm one of these people my head is always in the clouds," said painter Ann Scott, one who is inspired by cloud formations.
"I'm such a cloud geek," said Ann. "I'm really fascinated with that relationship of landscape to cloud to atmosphere to weather."
Ann is also a member of the Cloud Appreciation Society. The group is made up of 9000 cloud spotters who vow to fight "blue sky thinking", reminding us all that life would be dull if we always had cloudless days.
If you take the time to get to know clouds, they'll reveal to you their weather story.
Let's start with Cumulus, a fan favorite. These clouds pop in the late morning through the afternoon and promise good weather with plenty of blue sky.
Cirrocumulus clouds look like fish scales, and are linked to good weather too.
Whispy Cirrus clouds are nothing serious, just decoration on another good day and the icing on a sunset.
When the sky starts to boil, Cumulonimbus clouds can explode, building thousands of feet into the sky. Get set for thunderstorms.
When skies turn to a sheet of grey, you can blame Altostratus. Be prepared because precipitation is on the way.
If buildings in Boston are in the clouds, Stratus is in town. Expect damp and dreary weather with drizzle or flurries.
If you'd like to get to know clouds better, there are lots of cool books, including The Book of Clouds and The Cloud Spotters Guide, just published by the founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society.
If you want to be member like me, log onto
www.cloudappreciationsociety.org.
Learn more about tracking weather and short term forecasting (nowcasting) at our
WeatherWise Exhibit at the Museum of Science, Boston.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Slideshow: Viewer Cloud Gallery
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Comments