Cloud TypesCloud Types

Dr. Dave Dempsey

Professor of Meteorology

Department of Geosciences

San Francisco State University

Dr. Dave Dempsey

Professor of Meteorology

Department of Geosciences

San Francisco State University

Steam fog on lake surface

Steam fog on lake surface

• Lassen National Park, CA• ~ 6,000 ft. elevation• October• calm• clear night

Steam devil (steam fog)

• Yellowstone National Park, WY

• geothermal hot pool• breeze blowing across pool

Steam devil (steam fog)

Steam devil (steam fog)

• Yellowstone National Park, WY

• geothermal hot pool• breeze blowing across pool

Port Townsend, WashingtonPort Townsend, WashingtonMixing clouds

Contrail and

altocumulus clouds Contrail and

altocumulus clouds

Olympic Mts., WA

Contrails Contrails

Mt. St. Helens, WAtaken May 20, 1979mountain erupted May 18,

1980

Eastern Sierra Nevada Mts. and Mono Lake, CA

Eastern Sierra Nevada Mts. and Mono Lake, CA

Contrails

Radiation fog and

altostratus clouds Radiation fog and

altostratus clouds

• Santa Rosa Valley, CA• April• pre-dawn• calm• clear night

Santa Rosa Valley, CA(sunrise, April)

Santa Rosa Valley, CA(sunrise, April)

Radiation fog

Central Valley near Chico, CA(morning in December; clear night)

Central Valley near Chico, CA(morning in December; clear night)

Radiation fog

Central Valley near Chico, CA(morning in December; clear night)

Central Valley near Chico, CA(morning in December; clear night)

Radiation fog

Central Valley near Chico, CA(morning in December; clear night)

Central Valley near Chico, CA(morning in December; clear night)

Radiation fog

San Francisco Peninsula,Crystal Springs Reservoir (June)San Francisco Peninsula,Crystal Springs Reservoir (June)

Advection fog

San Francisco Peninsula(looking southwest; June)Advection fog

San Francisco (June)Advection fog

San Francisco (June)Advection fog

Advection fog Advection fog

Golden Gate,San Francisco

June

Stratus clouds(marine push)

Stratus clouds(marine push)

• North CascadesNational Park, WA

• ~ 6,000 ft. elevation• well inland from Puget Sound

Cirrus clouds

Western Colorado

Cirrus clouds

Acoma Pueblo, NM

Cirrocumulus clouds

Baja California

Mt. Everest, NepalCirrostratus (halo, arcs, etc.)

Mono Lake, CAMid- and high-level clouds

Mono Lake, CAMid- and high-level clouds

Point Reyes, CA (Sept.)Altocumulus clouds

Western Colorado (June)Altocumulus clouds

Death Valley, CA (March)Altocumulus & cumulus clouds

Altocumulus clouds

Chico, CA• Daisies• summer

Boulder, ColoradoStratocumulus (roll) clouds

S.E. Utah (May)Fairweather cumulus clouds

Mono Lake, CA (Aug.)Stratocumulus clouds

Crater Lake N.P, Oregon (July)Cumulus clouds

San Luis Valley, Colorado (June)Cumulus cloud

Eastern Colorado (June)Cumulus clouds

Eastern Utah (July)Cumulonimbus & cumulus clouds

Western Colorado (July)Cumulonimbus & cumulus clouds

Eastern Utah (July)Cumulonimbus cloud

Death Valley N.P., CA (March)

Cumulonimbus cloudwith anvil

Death Valley N.P., CA (March)

Cumulonimbus cloudwith anvil

Mojave desert, CA(March)

Cumulonimbus cloudwith anvil

Northern New Mexico (Feb.)Cumulonimbus

cloud, snowing

Eastern Colorado (May)Cumulus cloud with

rotating mesocyclone

Eastern Colorado (May)Cumulus cloud w/rotating mesocyclone, dust updraft

North Texas (May)Cumulus cloudw/wall cloud, tornado

Yellowstone N.P., WY (June)

Mammatus cloudsbeneath cumulus anvil

S.E. Utah (August)Virga (evaporating rain)

• Pileus cap cloud on cumulus cloud• Cirrus clouds

Baja California (Feb.)Orographic wave clouds

(lens clouds)

Cap cloud

Mt. St. Helens, WA (May 1979, before it’sMay 1980 eruption)

Cap cloud

Mt. St. Helens, WA (May 1979, before itsMay 1980 eruption)

Orographic Precipitation and Rain Shadow

Orographic Precipitation and Rain Shadow

California Topography and Precipitation

California Topography and Precipitation

Temperate rainforest

Hoh rainforest, Olympic

National Park, WA• annual rainfall ~ 160”

North American Deserts Great Basin Mohave Sonoran Chihuahuan

North American Deserts Great Basin Mohave Sonoran Chihuahuan

Sand dunes, Eureka Valley, Death Valley NP, CA

Precipitation Pattern, Maui, Hawaii

Precipitation Pattern, Maui, Hawaii

Hanakapiai Falls,

Na Pali coast,

Kauai, Hawai annual rainfall ~ 80”

Hanakapiai Falls,

Na Pali coast,

Kauai, Hawai annual rainfall ~ 80”

Big Island of Hawaii Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, prickly

pear cacti

Big Island of Hawaii Mauna Loa, Mauna Kea, prickly

pear cacti