Dr. Rachel Storer, cloud doctor and nephologist, discusses various types of clouds, how they form, and why they appear white. Topics also include fog, dew point, and the joy of observing the weather. The podcast episode highlights a charity focused on pyrocumulus clouds and wildfires in Australia and touches on the potential effects of climate change on cloud formations.
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Quick takeaways
Clouds are formed by small water droplets suspended in the air and can contain a significant amount of water.
Different types of clouds, such as cumulus and stratus, form based on different atmospheric conditions and can be influenced by climate change.
Deep dives
What is a cloud?
A cloud is a lot of water in the air, with small droplets that reflect light. It appears puffy and light, but can contain a significant amount of water. The droplets are so small that they can stay suspended in the air, forming a cloud. Clouds become rain when the droplets become larger and heavier, reaching a tipping point where they fall to the ground.
Different types of clouds
There are different types of clouds, such as stratus and cumulus. Cumulus clouds are puffy and bumpy on top, formed by warm air that bubbles up. Stratus clouds are layered and form from larger areas of rising air. Other types of clouds include pyrocumulus clouds, which form from fire-induced convection, and lenticular clouds, which are wave clouds formed by air forced over mountains.
How climate change affects clouds
Climate change can impact clouds by shifting climate patterns and changing the types of clouds that form. Rising temperatures can lead to the formation of different clouds, such as methane clouds on other planets. Changes in cloud formation can have implications for radiation and precipitation, influencing weather patterns and water availability in different regions.
Cumulus! Lenticular! Venti sugar-free stratocumulus stratiformis translucidus undulatus! Those light and fluffy things that hang overhead weigh thousands of pounds and form under all kinds of conditions. Cloud doctor and nephologist Dr. Rachel Storer chats about why she loves clouds, the different varieties of them, what makes it rain, whether sailors delight at red skies at night, why clouds are never square and where we can find diamond rain.
Visit Dr. Rachel Storer's website and follow her on Twitter