Cloud and Rain formation

Rohit Srivastava
Pressure variation of Earth's atmosphere
 Earth’s Atmosphere
Division of earth’s atmosphere on the basis
of temperature

• Troposphere
• Stratosphere
• Mesosphere
• Thermosphere
Temperature distribution of Earth's atmosphere
Hydrological Cycle
Atmosphere - Ocean Heat Exchange

• Atmosphere gives its energy to the

Ocean through winds by friction, as
a result of which Ocean currents
are generated

• Ocean gives its energy to

atmosphere through Clouds
Nomenclature of Clouds
 Nomenclature of Clouds

According to their height

1. Low Clouds (2000 - 3000m)- Nimbo
2. Middle Clouds (4000 - 8000m)- Alto
3. High Clouds (6000 - 12000m)- Cirro

According to their type

4. Cumulus
5. Stratus
6. Cirrus
Formation of Dew and Frost
 Dew

• Surfaces cool strongly at night

• Strongest on clear, calm
nights
• If a surface cools below the
dew point, water condenses on
the surface and dew drops are
formed
 Frost

• If the temperature is below

freezing, the dew point is called
the frost point
• If the surface temperature falls
below the frost point water
vapor is deposited directly as
ice crystals
• The resulting crystals are
known as frost, hoarfrost, or
white frost
Cloud Formation
Cloud Parcel Model
Lifting Process in the Atmosphere
 How do you get the water vapor
out of the air?
• Morning dew is a perfect example of moisture getting out of the air.

• Dew forms on cool surfaces only.

• Dust, smoke, ash, and salt particles in the air serve as the surface for
water vapor to condense on.

• When the vapor hits these surfaces, it clings to them and forms
super tiny water droplets around them
Rain Formation
Nucleation
 The best condensation nuclei are hygroscopic, or water absorbent

We can think of them as water-droplet “magnets”

Water vapor
molecules

Condensation
Nucleus
 The best condensation nuclei are hygroscopic, or water absorbent

We can think of them as water-droplet “magnets”

 The best condensation nuclei are hygroscopic, or water absorbent

We can think of them as water-droplet “magnets”

 The best condensation nuclei are hygroscopic, or water absorbent

We can think of them as water-droplet “magnets”

 The best condensation nuclei are hygroscopic, or water absorbent

We can think of them as water-droplet “magnets”

 The best condensation nuclei are hygroscopic, or water absorbent

We can think of them as water-droplet “magnets”

 The best condensation nuclei are hygroscopic, or water absorbent

We can think of them as water-droplet “magnets”

Liquid water
(drops
coalesced
Condensation nuclei allow a water
together) droplet to grow to a size large
enough that can now avoid being
dried out by evaporation.
Condensation nuclei hold the liquid droplets long
enough so another vapor molecule can condense on it.
Drop Size
 Rain Formation Process

• Collision-Coalescence Process

• Rain formation through ice nuclei

 Precipitation in Warm Clouds
• Warm clouds – clouds with only liquid water
above 0°C

• Two processes produce warm cloud

precipitation:
1) Collision
2) Coalescence
Through condensation, Collision and
Coalescence
 The Bergeron Process

• For air with both supercooled water and ice:

• Water vapor deposits onto ice by evaporation of
water droplets.
• The cycle continues – ice grows and water
vanishes
Rain formation through Ice Nuclei