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Low Stratiform Clouds. Stratocumulus and stratus clouds (Figures 14 and 15, respectively) are low-based (below 2 km AGL), shallow ‘stratiform’ clouds. They are almost always less than 1 km thick. They are composed of droplets unless the cloud top is cooler than about −5 to −10 °C in which case ice crystals may form.
Stratocumulus clouds form via two basic mechanisms: 1) transformation of a fog or stratus layer by turbulent mixing; 2) shallow convection initiated by heating of the lower atmosphere by a warm ocean surface. Turbulent motions in the atmospheric boundary layer are generated by wind shear and buoyancy fluxes.
Stratocumulus clouds (Figure 14) differ from stratus clouds (Figure 15) because they have an obvious rather lumpy appearance at cloud base with darker and lighter regions due to embedded weak convection. These changes in shading represent variations in the liquid water content of the clouds, with the darker regions representing higher amounts ...
Robert A. HouzeJr., inInternational Geophysics, 2014. Nimbostratus clouds are produced by nearly thermodynamically stable air motions and are deep enough to allow precipitation particles to grow to the sizes of raindrops and snowflakes. Their depth and robust precipitation production distinguish them from the shallow stratus and stratocumulus ...
This chapter provides an overview of the microphysical structures of stratiform (stratus, stratocumulus, altostratus, and cirrus) clouds in the context of their potential effects on the earth's climate. For reviews of the mechanisms involved in droplet and ice particle growth in clouds, the reader is referred to Pruppacher and Klett (1978 ...
The simulation of marine stratus clouds in the SEP region is still problematic in current GCMs. Fig. 2 shows the annual mean low-cloud fraction and surface shortwave cloud radiative forcing (SWCRF) in the region from CALIPSO observations and AMIP simulations of the models that participated in the CMIP5 model intercomparison project.
Cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus clouds (Figures 1–5, respectively) comprise ‘high’ clouds. By WMO definition, they are not dense enough to produce shading except when the sun is near the horizon, with the single exception of a thick patchy cirrus species called cirrus spissatus (Figure 2) in which gray shading is allowable.
Stratus clouds do not produce halo phenomena except, possibly, at very low temperatures. Sometimes stratus clouds appear in the form of ragged patches. Cumulus —Detached clouds, generally dense and with sharp outlines developing vertically in the form of rising mounds, domes, or towers, of which the bulging upper part often resembles a ...
Highlights We model surface radiative fluxes of single-layered, overcast stratus situations. There is an excellent agreement between long-wave calculations and observations. The short-wave calculations show larger discrepancies. Instantaneous net cloud effect is strongly negative around noon. The net cloud effect averaged over 24 hours is slightly positive.
A prerequisite to detect potential TLCF stands is knowledge on the spatial occurrence of fog/low stratus clouds (FLS) over longer time scales, indicating fog frequency. We address this need on a continental scale by presenting the first spatially-explicit, high-resolution product on nocturnal FLS occurrence over the entire tropical lowland rain ...