Weather Facts: Identifying Clouds and Simple Weather Prediction

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Insects have a tendency to swarm during the pressure drop that precedes rain or a storm.
Insects have a tendency to swarm during the pressure drop that precedes rain or a storm.
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The Hydraulic Cycle  
The Hydraulic Cycle  
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Make this simple rain gauge to measure precipitation in your area.
Make this simple rain gauge to measure precipitation in your area.
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Predict storms and other weather changes with this easy-to-make barometer.
Predict storms and other weather changes with this easy-to-make barometer.

The Hydraulic Cycle: When we want a glass of water, we turn on the kitchen tap quite casually. So casually that we seldom realize our faucet is only one small link in a system that constantly circulated and recirculates precipitation, condensation and evaporated moisture across the face of the earth. Check out the linked image to learn more, or read on to explore some of the effects of that process, including types of clouds and some facts about weather.

Types of Clouds

Cirrus: Very wispy, feathery clouds which form at great heights. Due to this altitude, cirrus are the first clouds to color before sunrise and the last to darken at sunset.

Cumulus: The beautiful, fluffy white puffs that scatter over a fair weather sky.

Stratus: Very low, horizontal, layer clouds that seem dense and thick. Undersides are frequently greyish. If these forms are broken into fragments or shreds, they’re called fractostratus. 

  • Published on Jan 1, 1974
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