Under the Meso
View allAll Photos Tagged convection
Absolutely no photoshopping involved here! This was taken in our garden looking towards Eastbourne.
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol comprising a visible mass of minute liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or particles suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. The droplets and crystals may be made of water or various chemicals. On Earth, clouds are formed as a result of saturation of the air when it is cooled to its dew point, or when it gains sufficient moisture (usually in the form of water vapor) from an adjacent source to raise the dew point to the ambient temperature. They are seen in the Earth's homosphere (which includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere). Nephology is the science of clouds which is undertaken in the cloud physics branch of meteorology.
There are two methods of naming clouds in their respective layers of the atmosphere; Latin and common. Cloud types in the troposphere, the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface, have Latin names due to the universal adaptation of Luke Howard's nomenclature. Formally proposed in 1802, it became the basis of a modern international system that divides clouds into five physical forms that appear in any or all of three altitude levels (formerly known as étages). These physical types, in approximate ascending order of convective activity, include stratiform sheets, cirriform wisps and patches, stratocumuliform layers (mainly structured as rolls, ripples, and patches), cumuliform heaps, and very large cumulonimbiform heaps that often show complex structure. The physical forms are divided by altitude level into ten basic genus-types. The Latin names for applicable high-level genera carry a cirro- prefix, and an alto- prefix is added to the names of the mid-level genus-types. Most of the genera can be subdivided into species and further subdivided into varieties.
Two cirriform clouds that form higher up in the stratosphere and mesosphere have common names for their main types. They are seen infrequently, mostly in the polar regions of Earth. Clouds have been observed in the atmospheres of other planets and moons in the Solar System and beyond. However, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are often composed of other substances such as methane, ammonia, and sulfuric acid as well as water.
Taken as a whole, homospheric clouds can be cross-classified by form and level to derive the ten tropospheric genera and the two additional major types above the troposphere. The cumulus genus includes three species that indicate vertical size. Clouds with sufficient vertical extent to occupy more than one altitude level are officially classified as low- or mid-level according to the altitude range at which each initially forms. However they are also more informally classified as multi-level or vertical.
For further information please visit
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol comprising a visible mass of minute liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or particles suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. The droplets and crystals may be made of water or various chemicals. On Earth, clouds are formed as a result of saturation of the air when it is cooled to its dew point, or when it gains sufficient moisture (usually in the form of water vapor) from an adjacent source to raise the dew point to the ambient temperature. They are seen in the Earth's homosphere (which includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere). Nephology is the science of clouds which is undertaken in the cloud physics branch of meteorology.
There are two methods of naming clouds in their respective layers of the atmosphere; Latin and common. Cloud types in the troposphere, the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface, have Latin names due to the universal adaptation of Luke Howard's nomenclature. Formally proposed in 1802, it became the basis of a modern international system that divides clouds into five physical forms that appear in any or all of three altitude levels (formerly known as étages). These physical types, in approximate ascending order of convective activity, include stratiform sheets, cirriform wisps and patches, stratocumuliform layers (mainly structured as rolls, ripples, and patches), cumuliform heaps, and very large cumulonimbiform heaps that often show complex structure. The physical forms are divided by altitude level into ten basic genus-types. The Latin names for applicable high-level genera carry a cirro- prefix, and an alto- prefix is added to the names of the mid-level genus-types. Most of the genera can be subdivided into species and further subdivided into varieties.
Two cirriform clouds that form higher up in the stratosphere and mesosphere have common names for their main types. They are seen infrequently, mostly in the polar regions of Earth. Clouds have been observed in the atmospheres of other planets and moons in the Solar System and beyond. However, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are often composed of other substances such as methane, ammonia, and sulfuric acid as well as water.
Taken as a whole, homospheric clouds can be cross-classified by form and level to derive the ten tropospheric genera and the two additional major types above the troposphere. The cumulus genus includes three species that indicate vertical size. Clouds with sufficient vertical extent to occupy more than one altitude level are officially classified as low- or mid-level according to the altitude range at which each initially forms. However they are also more informally classified as multi-level or vertical.
For further information please visit
During sunset, a cloud flew in in an amazing shape (a bird, a dragon, and maybe an angel ...)
A little understanding of the physics of cloud formation underscores the complexity of the atmosphere and sheds light on why predicting weather for more than a few days is such a challenge.
Six types of clouds you can see and how they can help you understand the weather.
1) Cumulus clouds - On a sunny day, rays warm the earth, which heats the air located directly above it. The heated air rises upward due to convection and forms cumulus clouds. These “good weather” clouds are like cotton wool. If you look at the sky filled with cumulus clouds, you can see that they have a flat bottom, located at the same level for all clouds. At this altitude, air rising from ground level cools down to the dew point. It usually doesn't rain from cumulus clouds, which means the weather will be good.
2) Cumulonimbus clouds.
Small cumulus clouds do not rain, but if they grow and grow in height, it is a sign that heavy rain is coming soon. This often happens in summer when morning cumulus clouds turn into cumulonimbus during the day. Cumulonimbus clouds often have a flat top. Air convection occurs inside such a cloud, and it gradually cools until it reaches the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere. At this moment, it loses its buoyancy and can no longer rise higher. Instead, it spreads out to the sides, forming the characteristic anvil shape.
3) Cirrus clouds form in very high layers of the atmosphere. They are smoky because they are composed entirely of ice crystals falling in the atmosphere. When cirrus clouds are carried by winds moving at different speeds, they take on a characteristic curved shape. And only at very high altitudes or at high latitudes, cirrus clouds give out rain that reaches the ground.
4) Stratus Clouds - A low-lying, continuous cloud sheet that covers the sky. Stratus clouds are formed by slowly rising air or gentle winds that cover the cold land or sea surface with moist air. Stratus clouds are thin, therefore, despite the gloomy picture, it is unlikely to rain from them, a little drizzle at most. Stratus clouds are identical to fog, so if you've ever walked in a mountainous area on a foggy day, you've been inside a cloud.
5) Lenticular clouds. Smooth and lenticular lenticular clouds form when air is blown up and over a mountain range, and as it travels over a mountain, the air descends to its previous level. At this time, it heats up and the cloud evaporates. But it can slip further, as a result of which the air rises again and forms another lenticular cloud. This can result in a chain of clouds extending far beyond the mountain range. The interaction of wind with mountains and other surface features is one of the many details that must be taken into account in computer simulations to obtain accurate weather predictions.
6) Kelvin - Helmholtz like a breaking ocean wave. When air masses at different heights move horizontally at different speeds, their state becomes unstable. The boundary between the air masses begins to ripple and form large waves, such clouds are quite rare.
The photo was taken in the city of Konakovo. Russia. On the banks of the Volga River.
The protracted early winter cold of late 2010 was attributable to two surges of intensely cold Arctic air across Nordwest Europe.
The first, in late November, was from the northeast and outstanding for the heavy convective snowfalls originating over the still-warm seas, with some associated convective streamers extending inland downwind of coastal inlets.
In contrast, during the second cold wave (from the north), a small cyclonic development resulted in a significant,indeed locally very heavy, snow event
across this region on 18 December
Cet orage a déversé, 2 heures après sa formation, 105 mm de pluie en une heure et provoqué des dégâts et inondations..
Photography is at least 50% subjective in my opinion., so that's for others to decide!
We took plenty of convectional shots of this beautiful Kingfisher so I thought I'd give the slower speed a try
Happily the experiment was brief one as most of the other 'efforts' were a bit of a disaster!
Absolutely no manipulation involved! This cloud looks as if it has been bent out of shape and was hovering near my brother's property in Orange, New South Wales. And if you would like to hear Amen Corner's version of 'Bend Me, Shape Me' visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=74sUIFY9vFQ.
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol comprising a visible mass of minute liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or particles suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. The droplets and crystals may be made of water or various chemicals. On Earth, clouds are formed as a result of saturation of the air when it is cooled to its dew point, or when it gains sufficient moisture (usually in the form of water vapor) from an adjacent source to raise the dew point to the ambient temperature. They are seen in the Earth's homosphere (which includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere). Nephology is the science of clouds which is undertaken in the cloud physics branch of meteorology.
There are two methods of naming clouds in their respective layers of the atmosphere; Latin and common. Cloud types in the troposphere, the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface, have Latin names due to the universal adaptation of Luke Howard's nomenclature. Formally proposed in 1802, it became the basis of a modern international system that divides clouds into five physical forms that appear in any or all of three altitude levels (formerly known as étages). These physical types, in approximate ascending order of convective activity, include stratiform sheets, cirriform wisps and patches, stratocumuliform layers (mainly structured as rolls, ripples, and patches), cumuliform heaps, and very large cumulonimbiform heaps that often show complex structure. The physical forms are divided by altitude level into ten basic genus-types. The Latin names for applicable high-level genera carry a cirro- prefix, and an alto- prefix is added to the names of the mid-level genus-types. Most of the genera can be subdivided into species and further subdivided into varieties.
Two cirriform clouds that form higher up in the stratosphere and mesosphere have common names for their main types. They are seen infrequently, mostly in the polar regions of Earth. Clouds have been observed in the atmospheres of other planets and moons in the Solar System and beyond. However, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are often composed of other substances such as methane, ammonia, and sulfuric acid as well as water.
Taken as a whole, homospheric clouds can be cross-classified by form and level to derive the ten tropospheric genera and the two additional major types above the troposphere. The cumulus genus includes three species that indicate vertical size. Clouds with sufficient vertical extent to occupy more than one altitude level are officially classified as low- or mid-level according to the altitude range at which each initially forms. However they are also more informally classified as multi-level or vertical.
For further information please visit
condos on the beachfront, snowbirds returning to roost, shutters slowly disappear, mean season still months away, stormy day, tide out, sky spitting rain, gulls searching out the remnants of convective currents, surf sounds, pressing against a northeast wind, winter walk.
littletinperson
The protracted early winter cold of late 2010 was attributable to two surges of intensely cold Arctic air across Nordwest Europe.
The first, in late November, was from the northeast and outstanding for the heavy convective snowfalls originating over the still-warm seas, with some associated convective streamers extending inland downwind of coastal inlets.
In contrast, during the second cold wave (from the north), a small cyclonic development resulted in a significant,indeed locally very heavy, snow event
across this region on 18 December
In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol comprising a visible mass of minute liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or particles suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of a planetary body. The droplets and crystals may be made of water or various chemicals. On Earth, clouds are formed as a result of saturation of the air when it is cooled to its dew point, or when it gains sufficient moisture (usually in the form of water vapor) from an adjacent source to raise the dew point to the ambient temperature. They are seen in the Earth's homosphere (which includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere). Nephology is the science of clouds which is undertaken in the cloud physics branch of meteorology.
There are two methods of naming clouds in their respective layers of the atmosphere; Latin and common. Cloud types in the troposphere, the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface, have Latin names due to the universal adaptation of Luke Howard's nomenclature. Formally proposed in 1802, it became the basis of a modern international system that divides clouds into five physical forms that appear in any or all of three altitude levels (formerly known as étages). These physical types, in approximate ascending order of convective activity, include stratiform sheets, cirriform wisps and patches, stratocumuliform layers (mainly structured as rolls, ripples, and patches), cumuliform heaps, and very large cumulonimbiform heaps that often show complex structure. The physical forms are divided by altitude level into ten basic genus-types. The Latin names for applicable high-level genera carry a cirro- prefix, and an alto- prefix is added to the names of the mid-level genus-types. Most of the genera can be subdivided into species and further subdivided into varieties.
Two cirriform clouds that form higher up in the stratosphere and mesosphere have common names for their main types. They are seen infrequently, mostly in the polar regions of Earth. Clouds have been observed in the atmospheres of other planets and moons in the Solar System and beyond. However, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are often composed of other substances such as methane, ammonia, and sulfuric acid as well as water.
Taken as a whole, homospheric clouds can be cross-classified by form and level to derive the ten tropospheric genera and the two additional major types above the troposphere. The cumulus genus includes three species that indicate vertical size. Clouds with sufficient vertical extent to occupy more than one altitude level are officially classified as low- or mid-level according to the altitude range at which each initially forms. However they are also more informally classified as multi-level or vertical.
For further information please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud
Scientifically it is caused by very cold air mixing with a thin layer of warmer air directly over a relatively warmer body of water. The warmer air reaches the dew point as it cools and fog is formed. A convective effect causes the fog to rise like steam. The water has to be about 10 degrees C warmer than the air so this usually only happens on very cold days. Aesthetically it is beautiful and one of the few good reasons to go outside when it is -25 C.
Cirrocumulus is one of the three main genus-types of high-altitude tropospheric clouds, the other two being cirrus and cirrostratus. They usually occur at an altitude of 5 kilometres to 12 kilometres. Like lower altitude cumuliform and stratocumuliform clouds, cirrocumulus signifies convection. Unlike other high-altitude-tropospheric clouds like cirrus and cirrostratus, cirrocumulus includes a small amount of liquid water droplets, although these are in a supercooled state. Ice crystals are the predominant component, and typically, the ice crystals cause the supercooled water drops in the cloud to rapidly freeze, transforming the cirrocumulus into cirrostratus. This process can also produce precipitation in the form of a virga consisting of ice or snow. Thus cirrocumulus clouds are usually short-lived. They usually only form as part of a short-lived transitional phase within an area of cirrus clouds and can also form briefly as a result of the breaking up of part of a cumulonimbus anvil. Properly, the term cirrocumulus refers to each cloud, but is typically also used to refer to an entire patch of cirrocumulus. When used in this way, each cirrocumulus element is referred to as a 'cloudlet'. 21758
After a heavy spring thunderstorm in rural central Illinois.
Nikon D3200
18.0-55.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
ƒ/6.3
18.0 mm
1/2000sec.
remote shutter release
WB 5400k
A huge convection cloud formed just as the sun was coming up creating some fantastic lighting over the newly green hills in the Palouse. Comments and suggestions are very welcome. Thanks for looking. Chip
we're at the beginning of storm season here in the deep south, hurricane season, the mean season. this is what we see every afternoon during the summer months, huge cloud formations that reach up into the upper parts of the atmosphere, then mushroom when they hit the colder, lower pressures above. they act like big convective engines, pumping cold air, torrential rain, hail and violent lightning as they track from the moist savannahs to the west of us, out toward the ocean.
this is a shot across the parking lot at my work place, a very industrial area, as you can see. the cell tower struck me as a lure for the lightning that was sure to come in the next hour or so. i did not have the big machine with me, so the little machine, my iphone, was the only choice.
littletinperson
Mammatus or mamma is a term used in meteorology to designate circular pockets at the base of convective clouds such as altocumulus and cumulonimbus. Their color is normally blue-gray like the cloud itself but they can take on gold or reddish tones when the setting sun shines on them.
The Météo France website explains: "The most impressive are often formed under the anvil of cumulonimbus, storm clouds." During the meeting between a cold zone of a cloud and a warmer one, part of the cloud then rises and another falls which gives this shape of a nipple. The meteorological phenomenon can be observed all over the world.
RAINSHAFT FROM BIRCHIP, VICTORIA DURING A RECENT STORM CHASE. TAKEN JUST AS THE SUN WAS SETTING ON THE HORIZON.
Late afternoon collection of convection clouds over Hamilton Lake (Lake Rotoroa). Apparently they used to swim in this lake, before the ducks arrived. Perhaps under the proposed new water standards we could do it again. I don't think so!
After 2 days of boring skies, I was treated to an awesome sky for the evening and morning of my last day. As I watched the clouds roiled and rolled into some fantastic shapes.
Undulatus asperatus (or alternately, asperatus) is a cloud formation, proposed in 2009 as a separate cloud classification by the founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society. If successful it will be the first cloud formation added since cirrus intortus in 1951 to the International Cloud Atlas of the World Meteorological Organization. The name translates approximately as roughened or agitated waves
These clouds are most closely related to undulatus clouds. Although they appear dark and storm-like, they tend to dissipate without a storm forming. The ominous-looking clouds have been particularly common in the Plains states of the United States, often during the morning or midday hours following convective thunderstorm activity. [Source: Wikipedia]
Creating some great captures was a cinch. I managed to get to several locations for multiple compositions during the display. I felt so lucky to have bagged this shot because I was supposed to be in Death Valley that day but because of unseen circumstances I was forced to shoot for 3 days in the same location, which is rare for me, I usually try to moved to a new location from day to day. As a result of my immobility I decided to skip all the arches and to focus on finding hidden compositions that maybe nobody else has seen before. :)
Thank you for taking the time to take a look at my photos and as always, your views, comments, faves, and support are greatly appreciated!! Have a Happy Easter weekend my friends :)
If you have any questions about this photo or about photography in general, I will do my best to help, just post a comment or send me a Flickr mail and I will respond as quickly as possible.
One that I published before on insta and FB, but not here on Flickr.
Speaking about lightning this was the best event in the Low Countries of 2019 for me.
Instability was only moderate, but windshear quite strong for organized convection, so a nice line of storms developed with lots of cg's. (Other events of 2019, especially in June, had more lightning, but mainly cc and ic, which is less photogenic).
A very nice end of the summer-chase season. I almost can't wait till next season......