**Cloud Patterns in Toronto, Ontario, Canada**

## By Laurissa Werhun

**Purpose:**

> The purpose of this lesson is for the students to gain an
> understanding of clouds and their role in the atmosphere. Students
> will analyse data and information from various sources about trends in
> local and global weather conditions to forecast local and global
> weather patterns.

**Grade Level:**

7 -- 10

**Estimated Time for Completing Activity:**

Three sixty-minute periods

**Virginia Standards of Learning:**

**ES.1c:**  The student will plan and conduct investigations in which
scales, diagrams, maps, charts, graphs, tables, and profiles are
constructed and interpreted.

**LS.1:**  The student will plan and conduct investigations in which c)
data are organized into tables showing repeated trials and means; h)
continuous line graphs are constructed, interpreted, and used to make
predictions; and i) interpretations from a set of data are evaluated and
defended.

**PS.1:**  The student will plan and conduct investigations in which b)
length, mass, volume, density, temperature, weight, and force are
accurately measured and reported using metric units (SI-International
System of Units); h) data tables showing the independent and dependent
variables, derived quantities, and the number of trials are constructed
and interpreted; i)data tables for descriptive statistics showing
specific measures of central tendency, the range of the data set, and
the number of repeated trials are constructed and interpreted; j)
frequency distributions, scattergrams, line plots, and histograms are
constructed and interpreted; and k) valid conclusions are made after
analyzing data.

**PS.7:**  The student will investigate and understand temperature
scales, heat, and heat transfer. Key concepts include Celsius and Kelvin
temperature scales and absolute zero.

**Prerequisites:**

Students should be familiar with using the Internet to access websites
and in using Excel to produce spreadsheets and graphs.

**Tools:**

Internet access and Microsoft Excel

**Vocabulary:**

Cloud

**Background:**

What are Clouds (see Worksheet: What are Clouds)

Types of Clouds (see Worksheet: Types of Clouds)

**Procedure**:

Patterns in Cloud Coverage in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

(see Worksheet: Patterns in Cloud Coverage in Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

**What are Clouds?**

Begin the class with a discussion of how clouds are formed and their
composition. During the course of the exercise students observe and
comment on condensation. Encourage students to think about why some
clouds produce rain while others do not. Why does it stop raining? Where
does the water go? You
![](media/image1.jpeg){width="1.8458333333333334in"
height="1.8458333333333334in"}may wish to incorporate these questions
into a journal exercise.

**What are Clouds?**

> Clouds are visible accumulations of water droplets or solid ice
> crystals that float in the Earth\'s troposphere (the lowest part of
> the Earth's Atmosphere), moving with the wind. From space, clouds are
> visible as a white veil surrounding the planet.

**Experiment For Students: Making a Cloud.**

**Materials:** Large glass jar, warm water (enough to fill jar to
one-third full), black paper (large enough to cover back of jar),
matches, zipper-style storage bag, crushed ice or ice cubes.

**Procedure:**

1\. Ask students what clouds are, of what are they made, and ask the
focus question "How do you think clouds form?" The responses to this
question could be written on the board to return to later.

2\. Tell the students that we are going to perform a simulation of the
forming of a cloud. Take out the jar and have one of the students tape
the black piece of paper onto one side of the jar. Ask another student
to pour the warm water into the jar until it is one third full.

3\. Have a student cover the jar with a bag of ice. Observe for a while.
Do they see anything?

4\. Light a match and hold it in the jar for a few seconds and then drop
it in. At this point, have a student quickly cover the jar with the bag
of ice. Observe for a while. Now do they see anything?

5\. Have the students record their observations and explore what
happened. The following questions can be used to help the class learn
about what was happening:

1.  What did you see in the jar? (a cloud)

2.  Where did the cloud come from? (the water in the bottom of the jar)

3.  How did the warm water effect the cloud formation? (caused the water
    to evaporate and warmed the air, causing it to rise)

4.  What did the ice cubes do to help the clouds form? (cooled the air
    \[made the water vapour condense\]).

5.  What role did the match and its smoke play in the cloud formation?
    (gave the water something to condense or grab on to)

6.  Now what would you tell me a cloud is made of? (small water droplets
    or ice crystals, which form around a condensation nucleus -- for
    example smoke. Extension for those in colder climates: On a snowy
    day, go outside and catch a few flakes on your tongue. See if you
    can taste the type of particle that snowflake formed on.)

7.  Ask someone to describe the process of cloud formation from what
    they just learned.

**Types Of Clouds**

Clouds are classified into a system that uses Latin words to describe
the appearance of clouds as seen by an observer on the ground. The table
below summarizes the four principal components of this classification
system

  ------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------------
  **Latin Root**      **Translation**         **Example**

  cumulus             heap                    fair weather cumulus

  stratus             layer                   altostratus

  cirrus              curl of hair            cirrus

  nimbus              rain                    cumulonimbus
  ------------------- ----------------------- ----------------------------

Further classification identifies clouds by height of cloud base. For
example, cloud names containing the prefix \"cirr-\", as in cirrus
clouds, are located at high levels while cloud names with the prefix
\"alto-\", as in altostratus, are found at middle levels.

**Types of Clouds**

Using your textbook or researching on the internet fill in the following
table

+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Type  | **Image**         | **Appearance**    | **Altitude        |
| of      |                   |                   | (height)**        |
| Cloud\  | **(Draw a         | **(Describe in    |                   |
| (G      | picture)**        | words)**          | **(Record the     |
| enus)** |                   |                   | height in meters  |
|         |                   |                   | and/or feet)**    |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **      |                   |                   |                   |
| Cumulo- |                   |                   |                   |
| nimbus\ |                   |                   |                   |
| (T      |                   |                   |                   |
| hunderh |                   |                   |                   |
| eads)** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **C     |                   |                   |                   |
| irro-st |                   |                   |                   |
| ratus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **C     |                   |                   |                   |
| irrus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **C     |                   |                   |                   |
| irro-cu |                   |                   |                   |
| mulus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **      |                   |                   |                   |
| Alto-cu |                   |                   |                   |
| mulus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **      |                   |                   |                   |
| Alto-st |                   |                   |                   |
| ratus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **St    |                   |                   |                   |
| rato-cu |                   |                   |                   |
| mulus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Cu    |                   |                   |                   |
| mulus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **St    |                   |                   |                   |
| ratus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **N     |                   |                   |                   |
| imbo-st |                   |                   |                   |
| ratus** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Fog** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **M     |                   |                   |                   |
| ammatus |                   |                   |                   |
| c       |                   |                   |                   |
| louds** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Oro   |                   |                   |                   |
| graphic |                   |                   |                   |
| c       |                   |                   |                   |
| louds** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| *       |                   |                   |                   |
| *Pileus |                   |                   |                   |
| cloud** |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+
| **Con   |                   |                   |                   |
| trail** |                   |                   |                   |
| (short  |                   |                   |                   |
| for     |                   |                   |                   |
| **      |                   |                   |                   |
| CON**de |                   |                   |                   |
| nsation |                   |                   |                   |
| **T     |                   |                   |                   |
| RAIL**) |                   |                   |                   |
+---------+-------------------+-------------------+-------------------+

### Solution

  -------------------- ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------
  **Type of Cloud\     **Image**   **Appearance**                     **Altitude
  (Genus)**                                                           (height)**

  **Cumulo-nimbus\                 Can cause lightning, thunder,      Near ground up to
  (Thunderheads)**                 hail, strong rains, strong winds,  75,000 feet
                                   and tornadoes                      (\~23,000 m)\
                                                                      (convective
                                                                      clouds)

  **Cirro-stratus**                Thin, wispy, appear in sheets.     Above 18,000 feet
                                   Located above thunderheads         (\~6,000 m)\
                                                                      (High-altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Cirrus**                       Thin, wispy, filamentous, or curly Above 18,000 feet
                                                                      (\~6,000 m)\
                                                                      (High-altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Cirro-cumulus**                Small, puffy, patchy and/or with a Above 18,000 feet
                                   wavelike appearance                (\~6,000 m)\
                                                                      (High-altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Alto-cumulus**                 Medium-sized puffy, patchy,        6,500 - 20,000
                                   scattered clouds - often in linear feet
                                   bands                              (\~2,000-6,000 m)\
                                                                      (Middle-altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Alto-stratus**                 Thin, uniform                      6,500 - 20,000
                                                                      feet
                                                                      (\~2,000-6,000 m)\
                                                                      (Middle-Altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Strato-cumulus**               Broad and flat on the bottom,      Below 6,500 feet
                                   puffy on top,                      (\~2,000 m)\
                                                                      (Low-altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Cumulus**                      Puffy and piled up.                Below 6,500 feet
                                                                      (\~2,000 m)\
                                                                      (convective
                                                                      clouds)

  **Stratus**                      Uniform, flat, thick to thin       Below 6,500 feet
                                   layered clouds will ill-defined    (\~2,000 m)\
                                   edges                              (Low-altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Nimbo-stratus**                Uniform, dark, flat, low,          Below 6,500 feet
                                   featureless clouds that produce    (\~2,000 m)\
                                   precipitation                      (Low-altitude
                                                                      clouds)

  **Fog**                                                             In contact with
                                                                      the ground\
                                                                      (Ground-hugging
                                                                      clouds)
  -------------------- ----------- ---------------------------------- ------------------

###  

Have the students complete the following worksheet

  --------------------------------------------------- ------------------------
  **Label the Clouds**\                               
  Label the clouds using the terms given.             

  ![](media/image2.png){width="5.877083333333333in"   **alto-cumulus** -
  height="4.176388888888889in"}                       Middle-level,
                                                      medium-sized puffy
                                                      clouds.\
                                                      **alto-stratus** -
                                                      Middle-level, layered
                                                      clouds.\
                                                      **cirro-cumulus** -
                                                      High-altitude, small,
                                                      wispy, patchy, puffy
                                                      clouds.\
                                                      **cirro-stratus** -
                                                      High-altitude, thin,
                                                      wispy clouds in layers.\
                                                      **cirrus** -
                                                      High-altitude, thin,
                                                      wispy clouds.\
                                                      **cumulo-nimbus**-
                                                      Large, dense, towering
                                                      clouds that cause
                                                      thunderstorms.\
                                                      **cumulus** - Low, puffy
                                                      clouds.\
                                                      **fog** - Ground-hugging
                                                      clouds.\
                                                      **nimbo-stratus** - Low,
                                                      dark, rain cloud.\
                                                      **stratus** - Low,
                                                      layered, horizontal,
                                                      wispy clouds with a flat
                                                      base.\
                                                      **strato-cumulus** - Low
                                                      clouds, broad and flat
                                                      on the bottom, puffy on
                                                      top (higher than cumulus
                                                      and lower than
                                                      altocumulus).
  --------------------------------------------------- ------------------------

<http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/activities/label/clouds/>

### ![](media/image3.png){width="5.875in" height="4.177083333333333in"}

### Make A Cloud Collage

**Materials:** Poster board, paper, glue, magazines with clouds pictures
(that can be used for cut-outs), or a camera with film to take pictures.

**Setting Up the Activity:** Make a collage of as many different types
and sizes of clouds as possible. This can also be done as a group
activity. Record the type of weather associated with each cloud, such as
fair, rainy, warm, or cold. The clouds can also be divided into types of
cumulus, stratus, or cirrus.

**Questions:**

1.  What type of weather was found with each cloud?

2.  From what direction were most of the clouds moving ?

3.  How long was it before the weather changed, (cleared up, started
    raining, got warmer/colder?)

4.  What main types of clouds were present in fair weather? Stormy
    weather?

**Taking It a Step Further:** Take pictures of the same part of the sky
at the same time of day for five days. Watch the local weather report
each of those days, and record the weather forecast

**Q. How do the clouds match up to the forecast? Can clouds be used to
predict what the weather will be the next day?**

A. They can to a certain extent. An increase in stratus clouds may mean
rain is on the way. Very few or no clouds mean fair weather should be in
place for awhile. If cumulus clouds are getting tall, thunderstorms may
be forming in the near future.

**Patterns in Cloud Coverage in Toronto, Ontario, Canada**

Go to
[http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov](http://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/)

![](media/image4.png){width="6.627777777777778in"
height="5.622222222222222in"}

Click on DATA ACCESS

 Live Access Server

 Atmosphere

 Clouds

 Cloud Coverage

 Monthly Cloud Coverage (ISCCP)

 Next

 Change the select view: Time series

 Change the Select output: Tab separated (text)

 Enter Toronto's Latitude and Longitude

43.41° N 79.41° W

 Your screen should look like this, then select next

![](media/image5.png){width="6.502777777777778in"
height="4.799305555555556in"}

 Click on view output

 Download output into Microsoft Excel

> ![](media/image6.png){width="6.020833333333333in"
> height="6.135416666666667in"}
>
> Complete a graph of the Month versus Mean Cloud Coverage
>
> ![](media/image7.png){width="6.493055555555555in" height="5.0625in"}

-   Examine the graph, what patterns form?

-   What possible explanations would exist for this pattern?

-   Does this pattern exist with the other types of clouds, examine

    -   Altocumulus

    -   Cirrostratus

    -   Cirrus

    -   Cumulus

    -   Nimbostratus

    -   Stratocumulus

    -   Stratus

-   Write your conclusions below

# Extensions

> 1\. Examine the relationship between the various cloud cover and
> surface temperature.

2.  Scientists have been interested for some time in the global average
    cloud cover for Planet Earth. Estimates, from satellite data,
    generally vary from 50-70% or so (it depends on how well a
    particular satellite instrument can detect thin or small clouds).
    The ISCCP data (above) for Toronto are at or above the global
    average. One possible complication for ISCCP is snow cover in the
    Toronto area. In some cases, the satellite might misinterpret snow
    as cloud. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find
    weather records, the amount of cloud cover in particular, for the
    Toronto area (or develop your own record by observing every day) to
    determine how accurate the ISCCP cloud cover data are for Toronto.
    If you develop your own record, you will have to compare it to the
    ISCCP data in a climatological sense, as ISCCP data are not ready
    until sometimes years after the measurements are taken.

> To compare with ISCCP data in a "climatological sense":
>
> 1\. Obtain all the ISCCP data for cloud cover in Toronto (almost 6
> years' worth of data are in LAS).
>
> 2\. Construct a climatology of cloud cover for Toronto from these data
> by averaging them to get a typical year. That is,
>
> Mean January = (sum of January cloud cover for 6 years)/6
>
> Mean February = (sum of Feb. cloud cover for 6 years)/6
>
> \...
>
> Mean October = (sum of Oct. cloud cover - only 5 years)/5
>
> Etc\...
>
> 3\. Compare this annual climatology to a year\'s worth of cloud
> observations.
>
> OR if you find weather records for a single year in 1994-2001, for
> which ISCCP data are available; a direct comparison is possible. Keep
> in mind, though, that the geographical area (a square
> latitude/longitude box) covered by the ISCCP data will likely NOT be
> the same as the area of the weather record (maybe observations at
> Toronto's airport, for example). So, the above statistical approach
> (Steps 1 and 2) may still be better.