Clouds by Karin Gravina

by matthew, aurelia, ezekiel, alysia

Flying Up

This is Timmy, a mountain bluebird. Timmy spent most of his days looking up at the sky since he liked watching clouds. He wondered what it would be like to meet the clouds, and what was beyond them. He decided that the very next day he would find out.

The next day, Timmy flew up to the clouds. On his way up he met a mountain bluebird like himself. “Hi! My name is Benny,” said Benny. “Where are you going?” “I’m going to meet the clouds,” said Timmy, “and going to the edge of the atmosphere.” “You’re crazy!” said Benny. “No bird has ever done that before. It’s impossible.” “We will see about that,” said Timmy, and off he flew.

stratus

fog

As Timmy flew into the air, he saw wisps of white foggy stuff floating above the marsh near his home. “I wonder what that is?” he said to himself. He went over to investigate. As he entered the mist, he suddenly could not see his wingtip beside him. “Hello there,” said a deep voice that seemed to echo around Timmy. “Wh-who’s there?” said Timmy nervously. “Sorry little bird,” said a smiling face appearing in the mist. “It’s just so fun to scare visitors even if it sometimes makes a bad first impression. Anyway, my name is Fog, what’s yours?’’ “My name is Timmy,” said Timmy. “What are you?” “I’m fog.” “What’s fog?” said Timmy. “Oh, fog is condensed water droplets which result from air being cooled to the dew point where it cannot hold all of the water vapor it contains. I myself am radiation fog. We typically form on clear nights when the Earth’s surface cools moist air above it. A different kind of fog is advection fog. It’s caused when warm air moves over snow in winter or cool water, resulting in condensed water droplets. Most fog looks like whitish wisps of cloud floating over the ground or water, but some is more substantial looking. Sometimes fog is so thick that it is unsafe to drive since visibility is so low, spread out cloud.

stratus

“What kind of fog is that?” said Timmy, pointing with his wing to a low spread out cloud in the air. “Ha ha haha ah ha,” laughed Fog. “That’s not a type of fog, that’s my cloud buddy Stratus.” “Well, what’s the difference?” said Timmy, confused. “Clouds can form at multiple altitudes, but only fog touches the ground,” said Fog. “Do all clouds look like that?” asked Timmy. “No, you should fly up there so he can tell you about himself.” So Timmy flew up to the long, spread out cloud and said, “Hi, my name is Timmy.” “Hello there, Timmy. What brings you here?” said Stratus. “Your friend Fog down there told me to come up here so you can tell me about yourself,” said Timmy. “Okay, I am a stratus cloud. Stratus means “spread out” in Latin. Stratus clouds are white or light uniform grey. Sometimes we produce a light drizzle and the sky becomes hazy. We form below 2 kilometers.” “Oh cool, I have to go now to find more clouds,” said Timmy. “Bye.”

nibostratus

scud

Timmy kept flying but suddenly it started to rain. He looked up. “I wonder what kind of cloud that is?” he said to himself. “Hello! What kind of cloud are you?” Timmy asked. “We nimbostratus clouds are large, dark grey clouds that drop long and moderate periods of rain or snow. We form below 2 kilometers. We are so thick and dark that we can completely blot out the sun. We also often have ragged fragment clouds around the bottom called scud. Our name comes from Latin root words nimbus, meaning rain, and stratus, meaning spread out. We are often the cause of gloomy, gray, wet days,” said Nimbostratus. “What are you made out of?” asked Timmy. “We are usually made up of cloud droplets and rain drops. But if it is cold enough, we’re made of ice crystals and snow,” answered Nimbostratus. “If you’re made of water, how do you float in the air?” asked Timmy. “Good question,” chuckled Nimbostratus, “I’ll tell you. Clouds are formed when moist air cools. As the air cools the water vapor in the air condenses on teeny tiny dust particles too small to see with the naked eye, forming water droplets. Billions of the droplets make one cloud.” “Wow, that’s a lot, those water drops must me really small!” said Timmy.

nimbostratus

“They are,” said Nimbostratus. “There are four main ways that clouds form. They all happen from moist air being forced up into cooler air.” “The second is called a convectional cloud, where rising heat from the ground (called thermals) forces moist air up, forming clouds.” “Oooh, I know what thermals are,” said Timmy. “My mom taught me how to ride them to fly higher. But why aren’t they called thermal clouds?” “Good question! It’s called that because heat rising is known as convection.” “The third kind of cloud is called a convergence cloud. These clouds are formed when air meets from opposite directions and forces moist air in between upward. This process is called convergence.” “The last main way that clouds form is when air is lifted along weather fronts. Weather fronts, which occur when different temperature air masses meet, force damp air upward. Clouds are produced and they often bring rain, like I do!” said Nimbostratus. “Thanks Nimbostratus, for telling me about clouds, but I’d better be going now,” said Timmy. “Bye!” “Bye! I hope to see you again,” said Nimbostratus. Timmy kept flying up.

“The first is called mountain cloud,” continued Nimbostratus. “Mountain clouds happen when warm, moist air is forced up an obstacle like a mountain or hill, forming a cloud.”

“The second is called a convectional cloud, where rising heat from the ground (called thermals) forces moist air up, forming clouds.” “Oooh I know what thermals are,” said Timmy. “My mom taught me how to ride them to fly higher. But why aren’t they called thermal clouds?” “Good question! It’s called that because heat rising is known as convection.”

“The third kind of cloud is called a convergence cloud. These clouds are formed when air meets from opposite directions and forces moist air in between upward. This process is called convergence.”

“The last main way that clouds form is when air is lifted along weather fronts. Weather fronts, which occur when different temperature air masses meet, force damp air upward. Clouds are produced and they often bring rain, like I do!” said Nimbostratus. “Thanks Nimbostratus, for telling me about clouds, but I’d better be going now,” said Timmy. “Bye!” “Bye! I hope to see you again,” said Nimbostratus. Timmy kept flying up. 13

He spied a large puffy cloud, who said, “My name is Cumulus.” “Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?” asked Timmy. “My name means heaping or mass in Latin. We cumulus clouds are usually puffy with flat bottoms. We are always changing shape and are low down in the sky around 2 kilometers above ground level. Sometimes we’re only at 1 kilometer!”

cumulus

“Oh,” replied Timmy. “I think I’ve seen you before! Are you the cloud that looks like pieces of floating cotton?” “Why yes I am!” said Cumulus. “But we sometimes look more like cauliflower than cotton, though.” “Cool!” said Timmy. “Well, it’s been nice talking to you. I’d like to go meet more clouds, though.” “Ok, bye!” said Cumulus. “Bye!” said Timmy. Timmy flew upward. 14

“Hi, I’m Timmy!” Timmy said to a big grey cloud ahead. “What do you want? Can’t you see that I’m a busy Cumulonimbus cloud making a storm?” said the grumpy cloud. “Oh sorry,” said Timmy. “What kind of storms can you make?” “If I tell you, will you please leave me alone?” said the stormy cloud “Sure!” said Timmy “Ok, I am a storm cloud and the only one that can produce hail, thunder, lightning, tornadoes, hurricanes, and all other natural disasters. I am 1,100 to 6,500 feet in the air. My name means huge rainy cloud. Cumulus means fluffy and nimbus means rainy. I am a puffy cloud. Now will you leave, please?” “Sure thing bud!” said Timmy, “Bye” “Yeah, bye,” grunted Cumulonimbus. Then Timmy flew higher.

cumulonimbus

stratocumulus

“Hi, I’m Stratocumulus,” said the next cloud. “Hi, I’m Timmy. What’s your name?” said Timmy. “Hi, I’m Stratocumulus,” said the next cloud. “What does stratocumulus mean?” Timmy stopped to listen. “Stratus means flattened or spread out and cumulus means mass or heap. I am a cloud that is 2.01 kilometers in the air and I am formed by weak, shallow convection currents. I am a bundle of cumulus clouds that have spread out. And a cool thing about me is that I can spread out throughout the whole sky!” “Wow that is so cool!” said Timmy. “Thanks,” smiled Stratocumulus. “Well, I'm off on an adventure so I need to get going,” said Timmy to the cloud. “Bye Timmy!” charmed Stratocumulus. “Bye!” And Timmy flew off.

Then Timmy flew higher. “Hi, I’m Timmy. What’s your name?” Timmy said to the cloud floating next to him.” “I’m Altostratus,” said the cloud in a gruff voice. “Why do you want to know?” “I was just curious about you,” said Timmy. “What do you want to know about me?” said Altostratus. “Nothing specific, I just want to know a little bit about you,” said Timmy.

altostratus

“Well, I guess I can tell you a little about me…but then leave me alone. How you can tell me apart from other clouds is that altostratus clouds are blueish grey clouds that usually cover a lot of the sky. Sometimes you can see the sun or the moon shine though us. Occasionally we precipitate, but if the rain hits the ground then we have become a nimbostratus cloud.” “Cool, but what does your name mean?” said Timmy. “In Latin alto means high and stratus means stretched out or

extended.” “Well, it’s been nice meeting you,” said Timmy. “Well, it hasn’t been nice meeting you,” said Altostratus. “Well, I’m leaving now to find some nicer clouds” Timmy said, feeling offended. 17

“Hi! I'm Martha and we are the altocumulus family,” said a puffy round cloud gesturing to a bunch of other small puffy round clouds. “These are my ten children, Joey, sleepy Charlie, silly Billy, happy Sam, excited Kyle, the sly twins Row and Bow, funny Adam, weird Lena, and strange Ben.” “Hi, I’m Timmy! There are a whole lot of you. How are you guys formed?”

altocumulus

“Well, we are formed 2-7 kilometers (6500-22,000 feet) in the air by cool water droplets. Our name means high mass or heaps. Alto means high and cumulus means mass or heap. I am a middle level cloud that usually indicates weather is coming.” “Well, that’s cool but I have to go now but I will see you later. Okay?” “Okay, well, goodbye Timmy. Say bye, kids.” “BYE!” the little altocumulus clouds said. Then, Timmy flew up. Timmy flew higher to find more clouds. He saw a thin wispy cloud not too far away. 18

cirrostratus

cirrus

“Excuse me, but I'm looking for more clouds. What kind are you?” Timmy asked. “Lad! I am Cirrus!” said the cloud. “Oh! Well, what is it like being a cirrus cloud? It looks lonely… I don't see any more clouds,” Timmy exclaimed. “Well, lad, I am the first cloud to form after clear skies. Not all my friends have formed yet,” Cirrus answered. “It’s so cold up here! How can you stand it?” Timmy shivered. “I can stand the cold because I am made of ice crystals,” Cirrus answered. “That’s cool!” Timmy said, then giggled. “No pun intended!” Just then a big white cloud, so thin you could still see the sun through it, arrived. “Hello, how are you all?” said the big sheet-like cloud. “Hi! Who are you?” Timmy asked. “I am Cirrostratus!” the big cloud said. “I am a lot like Cirrus except if you see me and no other clouds then that means there will probably be a rain or snow storm.” “When you say you are a lot like Cirrus, does that mean you are also made of ice crystals?” Timmy asked. Cirrostratus nodded his head yes. “It was nice to meet you, lad, but I believe you should continue your adventure,” Cirrus said kindly. So Timmy said his goodbyes and flew away.

cirrocumulus

Not too long after, Timmy was stopped in his tracks when three little puffy clouds with a long wispy tail coming off the end jumped in his way. “Where are you going?” the three asked. “On an adventure,” Timmy answered. “Who are you? Are you a type of cirrus cloud?” “Of course! We are the best kind of cirrus clouds,” they said. Timmy turned around and saw more crowding him. “Well, what kind would that be?” Timmy said. “We are Cirrocumulus clouds, the cutest, best, and nicest clouds around!” the cirrocumulus clouds answered. “We are getting ready for winter and fall. We like cold sunny days. We like nice weather but not too warm!” the cirrocumulus clouds said 20 cheerfully.

cumulonimbus

Not too long after, Timmy saw the old grumpy cloud Cumulonimbus. “Hello there!” Timmy said sweetly. “Why are you so high up?” “Hmf… You again? The tips of the anvil shaped top of us are way higher then any of the other clouds” The cloud answered rudely. “You again?” and from that rude response Timmy decided to fly higher. “Wait!” Cumulonimbus called after Timmy, so he turned the helicopter around. “I just wanted to tell you that you are now leaving the troposphere and you might want a rocket if you are planning on going any farther,” said the cloud, not once looking Timmy in the eye. Timmy then got very curious. “What’s the troposphere?” He asked. “The troposphere is the first layer of the earth’s atmosphere. It is about 7-19 kilometers above sea level. Eighty percent of the atmosphere is in the troposphere and almost all weather is formed in the troposphere,” answered Cumulonimbus reluctantly. “Wow…” Timmy said.

Timmy clicked the rocket button to transform his helicopter. Then he entered a new layer of the atmosphere. “Computer, what layer of the atmosphere am I in now?” Timmy asked his computer. “You are in the stratosphere. It is the second layer of the atmosphere,” the computer answered. “You are now entering a part of the stratosphere called the ozone layer. Ozone is a type of oxygen that protects the earth from most of the UV(ultraviolet) rays from the sun, much like sunscreen protects you.” “On this diagram you showed me there are holes in the ozone layer. Why is that?” Timmy asked, puzzled. “Those are Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PFC). They only form near the poles during winter or colder days and create holes in the ozone layer,” the computer answered Timmy.

A message appeared on the rocket computer: you have now entered the mesosphere. “Well what’s the mesosphere?” Timmy asked his rocket. The mesosphere is the third layer of the atmosphere. Its base is at 50 km above the ground. The top is at 85 km above ground. The temperature at the top of the mesosphere is -90º c, the coldest temperature found on earth. Most meteorites burn up in the mesosphere. Wow Im in one cool layer! Timmy thought to himself. After a couple of minutes in Timmy’s high speed rocket, another message appeared on the rocket computer: you have now entered the thermosphere, the fourth layer of the atmosphere, and i think that you will find it very interesting. “Tell me more please,” said Timmy. OK, the thermosphere extends from 90 km to between 500 and 1000 km above the ground. At the bottom of the thermosphere it is extremely cold but temperature climbs steadily as you go higher to around 500ºc to 2000ºc. Although the thermosphere is considered part of the atmosphere, a lot of it is usually thought of as space. The auroras occur in the thermosphere. Strange electrical charges similar to lightning occur miles above cumulonimbus clouds. “Wow, thanks computer!” Timmy said and he kept flying up. 25

“Computer, where are we now?” said Timmy. The Exosphere, it is the final layer of earth’s atmosphere… “Cool,” said Timmy. “Tell me more.” The Exosphere eventually fades into space. There is so little air it might as well be outer space. The exosphere roughly extends to 960-1000 kilometers high. “That’s tall,” said Timmy. Not all scientists agree that the exosphere is part of the atmosphere. “Well I think of it as a layer of the atmosphere,” said Timmy.

Timmy was almost done with his journey. But he had a problem, he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t figure out how to get down. Just as he was dreaming of living in space forever Timmyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rocket began to fall. Down, down,down. Through the layers of 27 the atmosphere until he got too the troposphere and the clouds were a blur as he past by.

Finally Timmy jumped out of the rocket and flew the rest of the way home. Tired and shaken up from his long adventure, Timmy flew home, snuggled in his warm nest, and fell fast asleep.