2 weeks Ago By John Wheeler
FARGO — To many people, clouds are just clouds. However, the astute cloud observer will notice many seasonal differences. Winter clouds are generally as flat on the bottom as they are on the top.
They often have a textured appearance, but they are basically flat. This comes from the gently rising air from which they are conceived. Sometimes these same flat clouds appear in spring and summer, often during times of cool weather.
During spring and summer, we are more likely to get clouds that are born on rapidly rising thermals of moist air. The flat bottom of these clouds is the point in the updraft cool enough for condensation. From there upward, there is explosive development.
The tops of these convective clouds look a little like hydrogen bombs and this analogy is not too far off. The heat released from the condensation of water vapor makes this rising air extra buoyant, which causes spring and summer clouds to literally explode into the sky. The big ones can grow to 10 miles high.
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