The arrival of Memorial weekend initiates the unofficial start to the summer season in the Mount Washington Valley. Many tourists seek the region during this weekend for various reasons. However, two of the most popular motivations to travel to this great destination include the natural beauty of our land, as well as the many bargains in the outlet stores. Aside from tourists, another sign of summer also occurs with the initiation of Memorial Weekend. However, this sign takes place thousands of feet above our lives in an ocean of blue that we commonly refer to as the sky. The precursor to us viewing a clear sky or a summertime thunderstorm lies within the ever-changing lifestyle of clouds.
At one point of time in your life, many of you have probably lied down on a field of thick, green grass while looking into the sky. As the sun shined down upon your face, you may have noticed a developing white cotton ball formation. You then viewed its continued growth with time, eventually transforming itself into a dragon, dove, or even a fish. As it crossed into the horizon, you probably noticed it fade away or even grow into a beast as it produced wind, rain, lightning, and hail. This on hand experience, my friends, was the evolution of a cloud.
There is no doubt that while you have viewed any single cloud, you may have wondered to yourself how it developed. The formation of a cloud is much simpler then perceived. First and foremost, it is important to realize that water is always present in the air despite appearing transparent at times. It exists in a see-through manner because the water is in a gaseous, or vaporized, state. Believe it or not, millions of tons of water vapor exist in our air. The water in the air comes from not only lakes, rivers, and streams, but also trees, crops and other plant life. Needless to say, as the moist air rises in the atmosphere, it encounters lower air pressure. The moist air then expands and becomes cooler. Due to this, the air can hold less water vapor, which in turn saturates the air.
The water vapor in the air eventually condenses to form tiny droplets. Keep in mind that an incredible amount of one million rain droplets are contained within one single rain drop. Millions of these rain drops create a sole cloud. When the air is saturated, further cooling results in the appearance of frozen rain drops and ice crystals. Therefore, a visual evidence of the presence of water in the atmosphere occurs when the clouds appear. Our mountains can also play a key role towards the development of a cloud. When air is lifted up and over a mountain, it simultaneously cools. The air can then condense to form a cloud if cooled to its saturation point.
Clouds can range greatly in height from resting upon ground level, commonly referred to as fog, to a thin shield 20,000 feet in the air. Whether it be cumulus, stratus, cirrus, or nimbus, clouds can significantly help you predict the weather for the coming hours or days. If forecasting is not your fixation, make sure to enjoy their production of endless beauty.