Clouds Cloud Development Principle Clouds are masses of condensed water vapor which are visible signs of atmospheric processes at work. Clouds help regulate the earth's energy balance by reflecting and scattering solar radiation and by absorbing the earth's infrared radiation. The Importance of Clouds Clouds are essential to the earth-atmosphere system. Clouds are required for precipitation to occur and, hence are an essential part of the hydrologic cycle.
Clouds help redistribute extra heat from the equator toward the poles.
Making a Cloud Clouds are masses of condensed water vapor. Cooling mechanism is required to cool the air temperature to the dewpoint temperature. The requirements for sufficient water vapor and CCN are rarely the limiting factors for cloud development. Typically, the limiting factor is a cooling mechanism. Thus, the air temperature needs to be lowered to the dewpoint temperature for a cloud to form.