Storm Cloud: Changes with the Weather

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If you’ve ever spent a summer afternoon spotting sheep, elephants & unicorns in the sky, you were probably looking at cumulus clouds. Essentially this means altocumulus clouds indicate the possibility of stormy weather in the area, but that it’s likely not very close yet. Notice the layers of cloud streaking out from the horizon. These streaks are caused by wind currents moving in the direction of the spreading pattern. These clouds happen at such a high altitude that condensation occurs in the form of ice crystals, giving these clouds a strange sort of wispy appearance. 6. Cirrocumulus Clouds To avoid any confusion over naming, if a storm is the remnants of a tropical storm or hurricane that has moved across the Atlantic, the name would not be changed and would follow the established method of being referred to as 'ex-hurricane Ophelia' for example.

This is a huge topic, so let me know what questions you still have about clouds & weather prediction. Most importantly, have fun out there! a b Sutton, Graham (1965). "Admiral Fitzroy and the Storm Glass". Weather. 20 (9): 270–271. Bibcode: 1965Wthr...20..270S. doi: 10.1002/j.1477-8696.1965.tb02202.x. Storm glasses fell out of favor late in the 19th Century as mercury barometers became more affordable. These days, they have become little more than a conversation piece, rather than weather predictors, and many may not even know that such a device ever existed. How Does a Storm Glass Work?

It’s looking dark and cloudy outside and it really looks like it’s going to rain. So, should you cancel all your outing plans for today or should you take a leap in the dark and proceed anyway? If only you had this storm cloud weather predictor that can tell you if it’s going to rain or not. And now you’re probably wondering why you haven’t already got this convenient and functional weather predicting instrument. Then as clouds begin to expand in size and develop dark spots or occupy multiple layers of the sky, these are indicators of stormy weather developing: Notice the upward expanding puffiness at the top of the cloud, indicating active growth.

Since Name our Storms first launched in 2015 we have issued a new list of names each September. The list runs from early September to late August the following year, to coincide with the start of autumn and the end of summer, when we see the likelihood of low-pressure systems and the potential for named storms increase. Why are we naming storms? The liquid within the glass is a mixture of several ingredients, most commonly distilled water, ethanol, potassium nitrate, ammonium chloride, and camphor. This specific mixture was promoted by Admiral Robert FitzRoy although similar devices existed even two decades earlier with variants in Italy, France and Germany. [2] [3] [4] [5] When cumulus clouds grow big enough to expand into higher altitudes, they eventually become cumulonimbus clouds, which are storm clouds that we’ll talk about in the section on clouds that produce rain. Even though storm glasses didn't turn out to be the meteorological wonders they were once thought to be, they still remain fascinating and an interesting talking point among weather enthusiasts and even meteorologists today. Admiral FitzRoy was a keen weather enthusiast, and during his time aboard the HMS Beagle, he did numerous experiments with the storm glass and carefully documented all his findings.In the photo above we can see examples of both cirrostratus and cirrocumulus, as well as several jet condensation trails. If you’re looking for the easiest way to start really honing your outdoor instincts and nature observation skills… try the Nature Memory Journal Program. This type of rain is often produced by warm, humid air rising on thermals in the summertime. This is sometimes called summer rain.

When the clouds get large enough, they become cumulonimbus clouds and drop large amounts of rain, with possible hail, thunder & tornadoes in extreme cases.These clouds can be an early precursor to rain or snow and may occur many hours before any actual storm hits. FitzRoy used the different stages of crystallization and fogginess that occur in the liquid as weather conditions change to establish a pattern and draw up an extensive forecast chart. An interesting thing to note is weather systems that take a long time to develop will probably be much larger, last longer, and bring more precipitation. A catalogue of storm glasses c. 1863If the liquid in the glass is clear, the weather will be bright and clear. If Admiral FitzRoy were alive today, he would be able to provide you with an extensive chart detailing "with certainty" how different changes in the storm glass correlates with specific future weather events.

Professor Kirstine Dale is the Met Office’s Chief AI Officer. She said: “We are excited to work with The Turing Institute to accelerate AI-based forecasting. AI is increasingly becoming a feature of many people’s lives and the weather and ongoing climate change affect everyone on earth. So, developing artificial intelligence for weather forecasting is a logical progression of the technology that has the potential for such wide benefits to societies around the world.”If you see altocumulus clouds, keep watching for signs of increasing instability and active growth, especially in other cumulus clouds that could grow to become cumulonimbus.