Cloud Properties
from NOAA chart
low clouds:
middle clouds:
high clouds:
Reff | Veff (Hansen, 1971) | |
Fair Weather cumulus | 5.56 | 0.111 |
Altostratus | 7.01 | 0.113 |
Stratus | 11.19 | 0.193 |
Cumulus congestus | 10.48 | 0.147 |
Stratocumulus | 5.33 | 0.118 |
Nimbostratus | 10.81 | 0.143 |
Earth is typically covered about 50%
average precipitable water is about 2.5 cm
average time aloft is 9 days (from 100 cm of rain/year)
in thunderstorm approximately 10% of water is released
suspended droplets 1 µm to 100 µm
cloud over continents have smaller droplets