Clouds of the Day - Monday, June 26, 2023

The morning began with a layer of stratus (low flat shapeless cloud that covered the sky) that gradually evolved into cumulus clouds as sunshine heated the ground and cooler air aloft overspread the region. This created an unstable situation which caused the cooler air aloft to descend bringing gusty winds to the surface. At the same time low level air in contact with the ground was being heated by the Sun causing it to rise. The result was what you see here. By late afternoon and early evening clouds took on the look of small showers that were rooted mainly in the mid-levels of the atmosphere. We received a trace of rain from sprinkles. That was after much needed 1.08 inches of rain fell over the weekend.

Cumulus congestus

Cumulus congestus

Cumulus congestus top with a large bird silhouetted against the cloud

Base of cumulus congestus

Altocumulus floccus and cumulonimbogenitus (a developing cumulonimbus)

The photo on the left above shows the base of the cloud that is featured in the first three photo above. The photo on the right above is a mid-level cloud formation which is forming in rising motion at that level. This area of clouds eventually developed into a cumulus congestus (not quite as big as the first three clouds beginning at the top of this post.

Cumulus congestus top with the Moon visible above

The photo above shows the top of the cloud in the photo below.

cumulonimbogenitus (A developing cumulonimbus)

This developing cloud never got much bigger than this but I am sure sprinkles fell from it to our southeast.