What do different types of clouds look like from space?
Cumulus clouds rise high into the troposphere but are prevented from rising higher by the stratosphere. As a result, the top begins to spread out sideways forming an ‘anvil head’. The edges appear feathery due to water vapor turning to ice at the high altitudes. Cirrus clouds appear from space as a simple line of cloud. When there are many cirrus clouds in a row, they are also known as ‘roll clouds’ as they are sculpted into tight rolls by air currents. Storm clouds appear as a spiral, or pinwheel, over the earth. Severe storms such as typhoons or hurricanes appear as very thick pinwheels with a small space in the center where the eye of the storm is. Can you tell which way the wind is blowing? Based off of the orientation of the picture, the wind is blowing down and to the left. This is evident by looking at the direction in which the feathery tail of the clouds is stretched out. Although the bulk of the cloud will be blown along with the wind, part of it will get drawn out behind the
