Essential Knowledge
o Basic shapes of clouds are associated with weather patterns.
Cirrus clouds are high and wispy and signal fair weather or an approaching warm front
Cumulus clouds are puffy with flat bottoms and signal fair weather. However, when they are darker, they may signal rain or thunderstorms, as they develop into cumulonimbus clouds (thunderheads).
Stratus clouds are spread over a large area and are layered. As these clouds thicken long periods of precipitation can occur over the area where the clouds are located.
• Weather maps
o Weather maps can help predict weather patterns by indicating high or low pressure systems (isobars), movement of air masses and fronts, or temperature ranges (isotherms).
• Satellites
o Satellite images are used for seeing cloud patterns and movements.
o For example, hurricane clouds and movement can be observed using satellite images.
• Radar
o Radar images can be used to detect cloud cover, rainfall, storm location or intensity, and cloud movement, as well as the potential for severe weather (for example, hurricanes or tornadoes).