ATOC 181 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Altocumulus Cloud, Cloud Top, Coast

• School: McGill University
• Department: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences
• Course: ATOC 181
• Professor: Andreas Zuend

Document Summary

Condensation: a process releases latent heat that is converted into sensible heat and is the potent energy source fueling thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes; Hydrologic cycle: including the process of that the water evaporates from earth"s surface and condenses into clouds; Clouds: reduce incoming solar radiation (k) decrease the air t in the daytime; increase incoming infrared radiation (l) increase in air t at night; a prerequisite for precipitation which controls the availability of fresh water on. - topics: how water vapor condenses into dew, fog, and clouds: dew, frozen dew and frost, formation and types of fog. If it forms on steeper slopes and is buried by a subsequent snowfall, it can result in a weaker layer in the snow pack and may cause a future avalanche. Winds: turbulently mix near-surface air with warmer air above - limiting dew/ frost potential.