Know Your Clouds. Tim Harris

      

       Know Your Clouds

      Old Pond Publishing is an imprint of Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

      Project Team

      Consultant Publisher: Helen Brocklehurst

      Editor: Sue Viccars

      Designer: Emily Kingston

      Copyright © 2020 by Tim Harris and Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd.

      All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Fox Chapel Publishers, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

      Print ISBN 978-1-913618-09-4

      eIBSN 978-1-913618-10-0

      A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

      Fox Chapel Publishing 903 Square Street Mount Joy, PA 17552

      Fox Chapel Publishers International Ltd. 3 The Bridle Way, Selsey, Chichester West Sussex PO20 0RS, U.K.

       www.oldpond.com

      Cover photo: Fair-weather cumulus on a summer afternoon

      Photo on pages 2–3: Ominous yet benign, noctilucent clouds glow in the night sky over Lithuania

      Contents

       Foreword

       The nature and naming of clouds

       How clouds form

       Cumulus family

       1 Fair weather cumulus

       2 Medium cumulus

       3 Towering cumulus

       4 Fire cloud

       5 Cumulonimbus

       6 Anvil cloud

       7 Mammatus

       Stratus family

       8 Featureless stratus

       9 Nimbostratus

       Altocumulus family

       10 Mackerel sky

       11 Lens and pancake clouds

       12 Castles in the sky

       Altostratus family

       Cirrus family

       13 Fibrous cirrus

       14 Mares’ tails

       15 Wave clouds

       Cirrocumulus family

       16 Grains-of-rice sky

       Cirrostratus family

       17 Nebulosus and fibrous cirrostratus

       18 Mother-of-pearl clouds

       19 Noctilucent clouds

       Optical phenomena

       Rainbows

       Coronas and rainbow fringes

       Ice crystal light shows

       Haloes

       Arcs

       Sun dogs and sun pillars

       Acknowledgements

       Picture Credits

      Foreword

       A massive cumulus congestus coloured by the evening light

      Our ever-changing skyscapes are endlessly fascinating. Throughout history, clouds have inspired artists, poets, musicians, and photographers. In most parts of the world, at many times of the year, an array of clouds passes overhead. On calm days, they float gently by, while at other times gales sweep them across the sky at speed. Skyscapes can be calming, dramatic, dull, intriguing, or downright scary. Some have an ethereal beauty that is difficult to describe. Clouds can inform that the weather is likely to remain the same for the foreseeable future, or give clues that change is on its way—for better or for worse.

      How you ever wondered how clouds form? Or why some types disappear, only to be replaced by others? Do you ever wish you could put a name to them? Whether your interest is simply in knowing their names, or if you’d like to be able to “read” the sky to forecast tomorrow’s weather, this book is for you. It describes the main cloud groups and some of the members that make