Figure 1-4 -- Anticyclonic circulation.
CLOUDS AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS
Clouds have been called signposts in the sky. They are an indication of what the
atmosphere is doing. Understanding cloud types will help predict weather conditions,
recognize potential weather hazards, and assist the pilot in the safe handling of their
flight.
Clouds Composition and Formations
Clouds form when the temperature of the surrounding air is between 5F and 32F, and
they are composed mostly of super cooled water droplets with small amounts of ice
crystals. Below 5F, clouds are composed almost entirely of ice crystals.
Cloud Composition
Cloud particles (droplets) are extremely small, about one-thousandth of an inch in
diameter, and as they become more dense, or clustered together, they become visible
as clouds. The average raindrop contains about one million times the water in a cloud
droplet.
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