What types of clouds might we find forming in a stable atmosphere?
Any clouds that form as a result will be thin and horizontal such as cirrostratus, altostratus, nimbostratus, and stratus clouds. All of these cloud types are associated with stable air.
What cloud group would you expect to form in very unstable air?
Clouds formed by vertical currents in unstable air are cumulus meaning accumulation or heap; they are characterized by their lumpy, billowy appearance.
When or where is air most likely unstable?
Air is considered unstable in the lowest layers of an air mass when the air is warmer and or more humid than the surrounding air. When this occurs the air will rise as that air parcel is warmer than the air surrounding it. In an unstable environment the weather can change suddenly and can be violent.
What two sets of conditions will make the atmosphere the most unstable?
What two conditions working together make the atmosphere the most unstable? Sunlight warms the ground and the air next to it during the day. This steepens the environmental lapse rate and makes the atmosphere more unstable.
Are cirrus clouds stable or unstable?
statically stable Cirrus cloud layers are in general statically stable in an absolute sense, with lapse rates less than the moist-adiabatic rates with respect to either water or ice. Some cirrus clouds are located above stable layers, indicating that they are associated with upper-level fronts.
Are stratus clouds stable or unstable?
Because thermal infrared absorption from liquid water is so efficient, many stratus clouds are unstable, because, as the cooling strengthens, condensate builds up, longwave cooling further strengthens, and the layer becomes increasingly susceptible to convective overturning (hence stratocumulus formation).
What is unstable atmosphere?
Air is considered unstable, in the lowest layers of an air mass when the air is warmer and or more humid than the surrounding air. When this occurs the air will rise, as that air parcel is warmer than the air surrounding it. In an unstable environment, the weather can change suddenly and can be violent.
What type of weather is associated with unstable air?
Unstable air will generally have tall cauliflower-like clouds known as cumulus, These grow quickly and are associated with showers of heavy rain. Some get so tall that ice forms near their tops, giving a fluffy, bright white appearance to what is called the anvil cloud-head.
Which cloud type forms in an unstable environment?
cumulus variety Clouds forming in such unstable environments are of the cumulus variety, which as you may recall, means "heap cloud." Cumulus clouds are "heap clouds," and have a bubbly, or billowy appearance.
What makes the atmosphere most unstable?
Sunlight warms the ground and the air next to it during the day. This steepens the environmental lapse rate and makes the atmosphere more unstable.
What causes unstable atmosphere?
Air is considered unstable, in the lowest layers of an air mass when the air is warmer and or more humid than the surrounding air. When this occurs the air will rise, as that air parcel is warmer than the air surrounding it. In an unstable environment, the weather can change suddenly and can be violent.
Is fog unstable or stable?
All types of fog consist a stable layer through the atmosphere whereas showers and thunderstorms that can also happen quite often during summer months consist on the other hand a more unstable atmospheric situation.
What makes an atmosphere unstable?
The atmosphere is said to be absolutely unstable if the environmental lapse rate is greater than the dry adiabatic lapse rate. This means that a rising air parcel will always cool at a slower rate than the environment, even when it is unsaturated.
What type of air is unstable?
Air is considered unstable, in the lowest layers of an air mass when the air is warmer and or more humid than the surrounding air. When this occurs the air will rise, as that air parcel is warmer than the air surrounding it.
What is stable and unstable air?
Stable air means that the weather is likely to be calm. It may rain or snow slowly and steadily it may be sunny but the weather will not change quickly. Unstable air means that the weather might change quickly with very little warning.
What creates an unstable atmosphere?
Air is considered unstable, in the lowest layers of an air mass when the air is warmer and or more humid than the surrounding air. When this occurs the air will rise, as that air parcel is warmer than the air surrounding it. In an unstable environment, the weather can change suddenly and can be violent.