The aim of my project was to learn about clouds, and demonstrate to others what I have learnt during the process, in the form of photos and written information.

First I visited the school and local libraries and found books on clouds and weather. I learnt from reading these books that clouds are divided into three groups. The three groups are high, mid and low level. The levels describe the base of the cloud above the ground.

Using my mother's Nikon Automatic camera and 400 ASA film, I set about taking photos of clouds from the different groups. They were Cumulus a low-level cloud, Altocumulus a mid-level, and Cirrus a high-level cloud.

Next I took the film to the camera shop to have it developed. I picked out the best of them and took them to Officeworks to photocopy and enlarge them to 150%. Then I chose contrasting cardboard to mount the photos onto.

This system of identifying clouds was identified by Luke Howard in 1803 and is still used today. Clouds that form at high levels have names beginning with "cirr" middle level clouds have names beginning with "alto" and low level clouds have names that beginning with "cumu". Clouds are also classified by their appearance. Some are sheet like, others are big and fluffy or they can be wispy.

Cumulus clouds can be seen in the form of white puffy clouds on a warm summer day.

Small cumulus clouds generally mean fine weather, but if they grow bigger they may bring small showers. The bigger they are the heavier the showers.

Thunderclouds are also formed from cumulus clouds.

Cumulus is low-level cloud found between ground level (fog) and 2,000m.

Altocumulus is mid-level cloud found at 2,500m to 5,500m. They often look like white balls of cotton wool and often form patterns in the sky. They normally form in a layer of turbulent, moist air.

Cirrus clouds are generally seen on a dry day. They are the ones that look thin and wispy. Cirrus clouds are made from ice crystals. Falling ice crystals make streaks of cloud called "virga".

Cirrus clouds are the tell-tail signs of approaching bad weather. Cirrus clouds are also called "mares tails".

Cirrus is high level cloud that is found between 5,000 meters and 14,000 meters.

The clouds are an important part of the water cycle.

Clouds move around the earth in wind currents. Ocean currents follow the direction of the wind currents and affect both the climate of the world and our daily weather.

Aircraft can sometimes make white vapour trails. These are called artificial clouds they form when the hot exhaust from the jet engines join up with the surrounding could air and cool rapidly. Trails of ice crystals are formed from the water vapour in the exhaust that freezes.

By: MICHELLE BURKE

August 2001

Allaby, Michael; How The Weather Works, 1998.

Cosgrove, Brian; Collins Eyewitness Guides -Weather, 1991.

Ellyard, David; Discoveries - Weather, 1996.

Humphrey, Paul; Step By Step - Weather.

Martin, Fred; Themes in Geography - Weather, 1996