Clouds

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I understand the basics of cloud building and content. But, I just saw something that sort of baffles me. Sitting at my computer, looking through one window I notices a little whisp of cloud gleaming in bright sunshine, against a hazy blue sky grow and them shrink to nothing - without moving anywhere.

The cloud started sort of the size and shape of a little finger (as seen down the length of your outstretched arm). It appeared to be lengthening. I shrugged and started to look away but couldn't. It definitely was lengthening. It got rounder too. Soon it was bigger than my fist. At some point it stopped growing and started stretching out again. Eventually it stretched and thinned in concentration until it disappeared. It took all of ten minutes.

I've seen clouds merge and break apart, and lose and gain volume, but I'd never seen this - it was cool!

What happened scientifically?

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Lil'K I can read 'em, but ain't got a scientific clue. I'll hang out and listen if ya don't mind...

RH

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Sure, pull up a chair.

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The following is pure speculation on my part, and i make no claim to any expertise on this topic. Clouds are formed by water vapor, and often are visible because either the water vapor condenses at higher, colder elevations, or because dust is trapped by the water vapor. I would surmise that what you saw was the formation of a cloud, due to the specific conditions of water vapor content and temperature, and that it disappeared when those conditions ceased to prevail--i.e., the water vapor was leached off by near-by, drier air, and/or, a body of warmer air moved into that space, and the condensed water vapor evaporated or sublimated, causing the cloud to disappear.

That was a neat event, i've personally never seen something like that.

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OOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooh

Littlek - would you mind if I jump in on your thread.... Embarrassed

Took this a few weeks ago and showed some folk - but no-one can explain it to me.

(ex-hub is a meteorologist - so he would know..... but preferring on asking the world)

Hope you don't mind me posting Smile

BUT HOW DOES THAT CLOUD FORMATION HAPPEN?

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/1052/p1000948hb1.jpg

It looked absolutely amazing!

(goodmorning RH (xox)

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littlek
Maybe it was the "steam cloud" described by the Navy following the destruction of the satellite by it's successful missile strike.

http://www.able2know.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=112296

BBB

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Re: Clouds

littlek wrote:

I understand the basics of cloud building and content. But, I just saw something that sort of baffles me. Sitting at my computer, looking through one window I notices a little whisp of cloud gleaming in bright sunshine, against a hazy blue sky grow and them shrink to nothing - without moving anywhere.

The cloud started sort of the size and shape of a little finger (as seen down the length of your outstretched arm). It appeared to be lengthening. I shrugged and started to look away but couldn't. It definitely was lengthening. It got rounder too. Soon it was bigger than my fist. At some point it stopped growing and started stretching out again. Eventually it stretched and thinned in concentration until it disappeared. It took all of ten minutes.

I've seen clouds merge and break apart, and lose and gain volume, but I'd never seen this - it was cool!

What happened scientifically?

Who said the '60's were over?

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BBB
CLOUDS ---BBB

I recalled pleasant childhood hours spent
identifying the cloud shapes floating overhead,
deciding whether they were jungle animals,
exotic rose vines, medieval castles, or
the faces of old folks from my neighborhood.

MORE CLOUDS---BBB

I stared at these new clouds in my old age,
trying to recapture the imagination of my youth.

But the earth's spin rushed the clouds by too fast
and the shapes curled and twisted so rapidly
that I could not connect them with anything
from long ago or to anything the future held.

I could only enjoy their beauty briefly
before the next rain storm came thundering in.

A too brief respite of contentment.

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Izzie wrote:

OOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooooooooh

Littlek - would you mind if I jump in on your thread....

Took this a few weeks ago and showed some folk - but no-one can explain it to me.

(ex-hub is a meteorologist - so he would know..... but preferring on asking the world)

Hope you don't mind me posting

BUT HOW DOES THAT CLOUD FORMATION HAPPEN?

It looked absolutely amazing!

(goodmorning RH (xox)

Was there a "boom?" Looks kinda like a contrail, if so there should have been a flash, a"boom" and a large amount of scattered metal and plastic at the end.

Rap

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Boy you REALLY must be boredornever mind

I dont think anyone could give a definitive answer based on your observation. There are too many variables:

What altitude the cloud was at

What height the cloud had

Was it homogeneous in composition: ice, vapor, mix

What was the temperature at the cloud altitude

Wind velocity, direction (thermal)

What recreational drugs you take habitually

What recreational drugs you were on at the time

It could even have been that the changes were illusional, depending upon the sun/observer (you) angle and the specifics of the cloud composition you could have just been seeing different parts/sections of the cloud as the observing angle changed. That's about the best way I could say that.

While it may seem straight-forward it can be quite complicated to model clouds, many interrelated differential equations solved simultaneously.

I would just sit back relax. Know you have taken a powerful chemical that you are a part of the universe, a part of humanity and gradually these clouds will all disappear and the sun will shine againoh yeaand halve the dosage next time. :wink:

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I've seen clouds forming, too. Back when I was backpacking at around 7,000 to 9,000 feet, the would form on the leeward side of the higher peaks, which ran to 12,000+ feet. Clear air upwind, and a long streamer of clouds on the downwind side, almost like watch a volcano tuning up. Sometimes they would detach from the peak and become independent clouds; sometimes they would just trail off into nothing.

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TheCorrectResponse wrote:

Boy you REALLY must be boredornever mind

I would have to be bored indeed to take time to post something like this.

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Littlek:

I don't know if you can get it in time to relieve the boredom of this class break, but if you want to prepare for the next, as well as be ready for any atmospheric effects you may run across, I can highly recommend the book: Rainbows, Halos and Glories by Greenler.

It won't answer this question but is very detailed and a fun read about any and all atmospheric phenomena. Some of which not many people have noticed.

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one has to be bored to be looking up at the sky?

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It was a joke everyone, OK? Littlek was complaining the other day she was really bored on a class break not being her usual busy self. She was asking for thoughts on what to do on another thread. I was playing off that as a joke. Just starring at clouds...bored, get it. Ha Ha. Everyone one the same page now?

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http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/4282/p1000950lv8.jpg

K - still not knowing....... contrail - Rap - no crashed planes in the field next to me. Just me, sitting on the patio looking at a funnelling cloud. Sorry.

yep - I'm bored!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Smile

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I've seen clouds disappear like that. I always assumed it was when turbulent air with a cloud encountered drier air. Moisture in the clouds gets blown around and dries the cloud much like a breeze dries clothes on a line. Like a big spoon stirring up the cloud.

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Did look pretty cool, I must say Smile

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Hi all!

I wasn't so much bored as waiting (but thank you friends for defending me and/or sky-gazing). I hate waiting. No drugs involved - or at least nothing stronger than coffee.

The cloud stayed in the exact same place. That was what was so odd to me. It didn't move in anyway, it just changed shapes. If different air was moving past it, wouldn't it have drifted?

I'm only partially serious. I do know a little about clouds and meteorology, but only a very little. It was very low cloud. Perhaps there were air currents above and below it in altitude siphoning off the vapor. This is really the only conclusion I can think of myself.

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Clouds

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