The Clouds Outside My Window

Types of High
Cirrus

Cirrus clouds are caused by m
atmosphere. Their stretched ap

strong winds at tho

24

h Clouds
s

moisture high up in the
ppearance is due to the
ose levels.

High Cloud

Cirrus clouds that ha
cirrostratus clouds. S
cause a halo around t

an indication of

ds – Cirrostratus

ave formed a layer are called

Sometimes cirrostratus clouds

the sun or moon, which can be 25

f an approaching storm.

High Clouds – Ci

Sometimes puffy cumulus cl
atmosphere. These are called
26 and are often most visible a

irrocumulus

louds form high in the
d cirrocumulus clouds
at sunrise and sunset.

High Clou

Jets can also cause
exhaust from the jet en
and, under certain cond

streaks of ice crys

uds – Contrails

e cirrus clouds to form. The

ngines adds moisture to the air

ditions, that moisture will form 27
stals that we call contrails.

Vertically-De
Cloud

HIGH

MIDDLE

LOW //////////////////////
//////////////////////
28 //////////////////////
//////////////////////
//////////////////////
//////////////////////
//////////////////////
/////////////////////
///////////////
///////////////

eveloped
ds

Vertically-De
Cumu

When cumulus clouds gr
they can produce, lightn
We call thunderstorm cl

eveloped Clouds
ulonimbus

row high into the atmosphere,
ning, thunder and heavy rain.
louds cumulonimbus clouds. 29

Colo
In The

30

ors
Sky

Colors

Sunlight is made up of
different colors of ligh

Some particles in the
atmosphere, such as
raindrops and ice crys
act as prisms and sepa
the sun’s light into the
various colors.

Other particles cause
certain colored light to
scattered in many diffe
directions.

In The Sky

f all
ht.

stals,

arate
e

o be
erent

31

Why is the sk

When sunlight strikes tiny parti
the blue portion of the sun’s lig

directions. Because we see th
scattered toward us from all ov
32 looks blue.

ky blue?

icles high in the sky,
ght is scattered in all
he blue light that is
ver the sky, the sky

Sunri

Sunrises and sunsets are
same reason that the sky

must travel through mo
sunset, the violet, blue, a
other directions by partic

only the red, ora

ise Colors

e red, orange, and yellow for the

is blue. Because the sun’s light

ore atmosphere at sunrise and

and green light gets scattered in

cles in the atmosphere, leaving 33
ange and yellow light.

Sunrise C

Sometimes, high- and mid-le
yellow, orange, and red lig

34 sunrise or su

Colors

evel clouds reflect the
ght from the sun at
unset.

Suns

Clouds at sunset are colo
are at sunrise. Beautiful su

to the west is clearing.
overhead and rain (an

set Colors

ored for the same reason as they
unsets often occur when the sky
In this case, there were clouds
nd a rainbow) just to the east. 35

Rainbo

Rainbows are caused when r
prisms and separate the sun’
colors that we see as a rainbow
the red is on the outside, follo
36 green, and blue, indigo, an

ows

raindrops act like little
’s light into the various
w. For the main rainbow,
owed by orange, yellow,
nd violet (if visible).

Ra

In some cases, the
secondary rainbow. I
rainbow is barely visib

for secondary rainbo
rainbows is dar

ainbows

e raindrops can cause a 37
In this case, the secondary
ble. The colors are reversed
ows, and the sky between
rker than either side.

Sundo

Ice crystals can also act as prism
light. In this case, ice crystals h
the sky. Sundogs can occur on
38 sun when the sun is near

ogs

ms to separate the sun’s
have created a sundog in
n one or both sides of the
sunrise or sunset.

Su

If we take a closer look
closest to the sun fo
green, blue,

undogs

k, we see that the red light is 39
ollowed by orange, yellow,
indigo, and violet.

Iridescen

Thin clouds composed of tiny
crystals can also cause irides
40 occurs near the sun and is o

nce

y water droplets or ice
scence. This typically
often difficult to see.

Now It’s

So, that’s a quick look
at some of the clouds
and colorful skies
outside my window
during this past year.
I’d like to see the cloud
outside your window.

If you make a book of
the clouds outside you
window and post it on
the web, please let me
know and send me a
link!

If you have any commen

John.Jense

s Your Turn !

ds
ur

nts or suggestions, please email:

[email protected]

41

More Inform

NWS Jetstream Online School fo

https://www.weather.gov/jetstream/clouds_intr

NOAA/NASA Cloud Chart

https://www.weather.gov/media/owlie/cloud_c

The GLOBE Program – Clouds S

https://www.globe.gov/documents/348830/3504

Students' Cloud Observations O

http://scool.larc.nasa.gov

Template to create your own boo

https://www.weather.gov/media/owlie/CloudsO

42

mation

or Weather (Clouds)

ro

chart.pdf

Story Book

460/ElementaryGLOBE_Clouds_en.pdf

On-Line (S'COOL)

ok:

OutMyWindow_template.ppt

The Cloud
Wi

The

ds Outside My
indow

e End 43

National Wea
National Oceanic and Atm

ather Service
mospheric Administration





National Wea
National Oceanic and Atm

ather Service
mospheric Administration

Want to find more great books
like this one?

“Totally

-super!”

https://www.freekidsbooks.org
Simply great free books -

Preschool, early grades, picture books, learning to read,
early chapter books, middle grade, young adult,

Pratham, Book Dash, Mustardseed, Open Equal Free, and many more!

Always Free – Always will be!

Legal Notice: This book is in PUBLIC DOMAIN- YAY!!! That means you can reuse it
in pretty much any way you wish. We greatly appreciate if you credit to us as a

source by including a link to our site, https://www.freekidsbooks.org, on your post or
end product, or simply leave this page in tact, so more people can enjoy great free
books. Please reach out and contact us https://www.freekidsbooks.org/about if you
want more information, or want to share your project with us, so we can help with

promotion. Please, enjoy this, and our many more free kids books!