Did you know that an average cumulus cloud can weigh as much as 500 tons? That’s about the weight of a jumbo jet. Clouds can move at speeds of up to 120 mph depending on the wind conditions at their altitude. There are even cosmic clouds in outer space, like the giant alcohol cloud in W3(OH), a very bright, compact HII region within the W3 complex, an enormous stellar nursery.
The CSIRO website lists some little-known cloud facts that are truly fascinating. For example, thunderstorm clouds can be green and nobody knows why, dandruff floating in the atmosphere helps form clouds, and a cloudless sky can be called “enubilous”. Pollen, algae, fur, and bacteria also contribute to cloud formation.
#7 I Saw A Lenticular Cloud Over A Cumulus Cloud That Made It Look Like A Helicopter
If you’re a fan of cloudspotting, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s an official Cloud Appreciation Society with their own website and a healthy following on Instagram and Facebook. The site features a cloud a day, cloud of the month, and even a book, Cloudspotting for Beginners.
Earlier this year, the European Space Agency (ESA) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) got together to launch a 3-year mission called EarthCARE. The mission’s aim is to profile Earth’s clouds to see what effect they are having on climate change.
Launched at California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a Falcon 9 rocket, EarthCARE, an acronym for Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, is outfitted with a range of instruments able to construct 3D profiles of clouds and aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere.
No clouds? No problem. Cloud seeding, a fascinating weather modification technique, involves introducing substances like silver iodide, salt, or dry ice into clouds to encourage the formation of raindrops or snowflakes. This method has been implemented in various places around the world to address water shortages, agricultural needs, and even manage extreme weather events like wildfires.