I Can’t Sleep - Clouds | Relaxing Bedtime Reading for Sleep

Episode Date: March 3, 2020

Drift off with this calm bedtime reading on clouds, a peaceful way to ease insomnia and invite restful sleep. Benjamin’s soothing voice explores how clouds form, the different types of clouds in the sky, and their role in weather, science, and culture. His gentle cadence turns atmospheric science into soft, fact-filled narration that helps settle the mind. This is not whispering or hypnosis—just calm storytelling and education designed to reduce stress, ease anxiety, and bring comfort on sleepless nights. Press play, close your eyes, and let thoughts of drifting clouds guide you into dreams. Want More? Request a Topic: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/request-a-topic Ad-Free Episodes: https://icantsleep.supportingcast.fm/ Shop Sleep-Friendly Products: https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/sponsors Join the Discussion on Discord: https://discord.gg/myhGhVUhn7 This content is derived from the Wikipedia article on Clouds, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) license. Read the full article: Wikipedia – Clouds. Happy sleeping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to a Glassbox media podcast. What if I told you that most of the modern day self-help advice you've been hearing could actually make you worse? The key to a better life isn't about feel-good gimmicks that sound catchy. The Mentally Stronger Podcast gives you access to a licensed therapist who shares science-backed tools that will actually change your life. Hi, I'm Amy Morin, psychotherapist, mental strength trainer, and international best-selling author. In each episode, we cover research-back strategies, like how to stop relying on willpower and start creating habits for lasting change. And the five mental strength-building exercises you can do from your couch.

I also speak to world-class experts like Dr. Nicole Kane, who shares how to permanently heal anxiety by addressing the root cause. With over 200 episodes in our catalog, this podcast is for you if you're ready to crush self-doubt, conquer challenges, and become stronger than ever with therapist-approved strategies that can change your life. Listen to Mentally Stronger with Therapist Amy Morin, wherever you get your podcasts. Welcome to the I Can't Sleep podcast, where I read random articles from across the web to bore you to sleep with my soothing voice. I'm your host, Benjamin Boster. Today's episode is from a Wikipedia article titled Cloud.

In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of minute liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may compose the droplets and crystals. On Earth, clouds are formed. as a result of saturation of the air when it is cooled to its dew point, or when it gains sufficient moisture, usually in the form of water vapor, from an adjacent source to raise the dew point to the ambient temperature. They are seen in the Earth's atmosphere, which includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. Nephology is a science of clouds,

which is undertaken in the cloud physics branch of meteorology. The two methods of naming clouds in their respective layer of the atmosphere are Latin and common. Cloud types in the troposphere, the atmospheric layer closest to Earth's surface, have Latin names due to the universal adoption of Luke Howard's nomenclature. Formerly proposed in 1802, it became the basis of a modern international system that divides clouds into five physical forms that appear in. in any or all of three altitude levels. These physical types in approximate ascending order of convective activity includes stratiform sheets, seriform wisps, and patches, strato-cumuloform layers, mainly structured as rolls, ripples, and patches, cumuliform heaps, and very large cumulonimbiform heaps that often show complex

structures. The physical forms are divided by altitude level in 10 basic genus types. The Latin names for applicable high-level genera in the troposphere carry a zero prefix and an alto-prefix is added to the names of the mid-level genus types. Clouds with sufficient vertical extant to occupy more than one altitude level are officially classified as low or mid-level, according to the altitude range at which each initially forms. However, they are also more informally classified as multi-level or vertical, which, along with low-level clouds, do not carry any altitude-related prefixes. Most of the generic can be subdivided into species and further subdivided into varieties.

Very low stratiform clouds that extend down to the earth's surface are given the common names fog and mist, but have no Latin names. Several clouds that form higher up in the stratiform clouds, Spatosphere and Mesosphere have common names for their main types. They are seen infrequently, mostly in the polar regions of Earth. Clouds have been observed in the atmospheres of other planets and moons in the solar system and beyond. However, due to their different temperature characteristics, they are often composed of other substances such as methane, ammonia, and sulfuric acid, as well as water. The tabular overview that follows is very broad in scope.

It draws from several methods of cloud classification, both formal and informal, used in different levels of the Earth's homosphere by a number of sighted authorities. A cross classification of form and level is used to derive the ten tropospheric genera, the fog and mist that forms at surface level, and several additional major types above the troposphere. A cumulus genus includes four species that indicate vertical size and structure. This table should therefore not be seen as a strict or singular classification, but as an illustration of how various major cloud types are related to each other, and defines through a full range of altitude levels from Earth's surface to the edge of space.

Etymology and history of cloud science and nomenclature Etymology The origin of the term cloud can be found in the old English words Clod or Claude, meaning a hill or a mass of rock. Around the beginning of the 13th century, the word came to be used as a metaphor for rain clouds because of the similarity and appearance between a mass of rock and a cumulus heap cloud.

Over time, the metaphoric usage of the word supplanted the old English wealken which had been the literal term for clouds in general. Aristotle Ancient cloud studies were not made in isolation, but were observed in combination with other weather elements and even other natural sciences. Around 340 BC, Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote Meteorologica,

a work which represented the sum of knowledge of the time about natural science, including weather and climate. for the first time precipitation and the clouds from which precipitation fell were called meteors, which originate from the Greek word meteoros, meaning high in the sky. From that word came the modern term meteorology, the study of clouds and weather. Meteorogica was based on intuition and simple observation, but not on what is now considered the scientific method. Nevertheless, it was the first known work that attempted to treat a broad range of meteorological topics in a systematic way. First comprehensive classification.

After centuries of speculative theories about the formation and behavior of clouds, the first truly scientific studies were undertaken by Luke Howard in England and Jean-Baptiste LeMarc in France. Howard was a methodical observer with a strong grounding in London. the Latin language, and used his background to classify the various topospheric cloud types during 1802. He believed that the changing cloud forms in the sky could unlock the key to weather forecasting. Lamarck had worked independently on cloud classification the same year, and had come up with a different naming scheme that failed to make an impression even in his home country of France, because it used unusual French names for cloud types.

His system of nomenclature included 12 categories of clouds, with such names as translated from French, hazy clouds, dappled clouds, and broom-like clouds. By contrast, Howard used universally accepted Latin, which caught on quickly after it was published in 1803. As a sign of the popularity of the naming scheme, German dramatist and poet Johann Wolfgang von Götter composed four poems about clouds,

dedicating them to Howard. An elaboration of Howard's system was eventually formally adopted by the International Meteorological Conference in 1891. The system covered only the tropospheric cloud types, but the discovery of clouds above the troposphere during the late 19th century eventually led to the creation of separate classification schemes

for these very high clouds. Formation in the homosphere, how air becomes saturated. Terrestrial clouds can be found throughout most of the homosphere, which includes the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. Within these layers of the atmosphere,

air can become saturated as a result of being cooled to its due point, or by having moisture added. from an adjacent source. In the latter case, saturation occurs when the dew point is raised to the ambient air temperature. Adiabetic cooling Adiabatic cooling occurs when one or more of three possible lifting agents, cyclonic, frontal, convective, or orographic, cause a parcel of air containing invisible water vapor to rise and cool

to its dew point, the temperature at which the air becomes saturated. The main mechanism behind this process is adiabatic cooling. As the air is cooled to its due point and becomes saturated, water vapor normally condenses to form cloud drops. This condensation normally occurs on cloud condensation nuclei such as salt or dust particles that are small enough to be held aloft by normal circulation of the air. Frontal and cyclonic lift occur when stable air is forced aloft at weather, fronts and around centers of low pressure by a process called convergence. Warm fronts associated with extra-tropical cyclones tend to generate mostly seriform and

stratiform clouds over a wide area, unless the approaching warm air mass is unstable, in which case cumulus congestus or cumulinimbus clouds are usually embedded in the main precipitating cloud layer. Cold fronts are usually faster moving and generate a narrow line of clouds, which are mostly strato-cumulaform, cumuliform, or cumulomboform, depending on the stability of the warm air mass just ahead of the front. Another agent is the convective upward motion of air caused by daytime solar heating at surface level. Air mass instability allows for the formation of cumuliform clouds that can produce showers if the air is sufficiently moist. On moderately rare occasions, convective lift can be powerful enough to penetrate the tropopause and push the

cloud top into the stratosphere. A third source of lift is wind circulation, forcing air over a physical barrier such as a mountain or a graphic lift. If the air is generally stable, nothing more than lenticular cap clouds form. However, if the air becomes sufficiently moist and unstable, or graphic showers or thunderstorms may appear. Non-adiabatic cooling. Along with adiabatic cooling that requires a lifting agent, three major non-adabatic mechanisms exist for lowering the temperature of the air to its dew point. Conductive, radiational, and evaporative cooling require no lifting mechanism

and can cause condensation at surface level resulting in the formation of fog, adding moisture to the air. Several main sources of water vapor can be added to the air as a way of achieving saturation without any cooling process, water or moist ground, precipitation or verga, and transpiration from plants. Classification How clouds are identified in the troposphere. Tropospheric classification is based on a hierarchy of categories with physical forms and altitude levels of the top. These are cross-classified into a total of 10 genus types, most of which can be divided into species and further subdivided into varieties, which are at the bottom of the hierarchy. Physical forms

Clouds in the troposphere assume five physical forms based on structure and process of formation. These forms are commonly used for the purpose of satellite analysis. They are given below an approximate ascending order of instability, or convective activity. Stratiform Non-convective stratiform clouds appear in stable air mass conditions and in general have flat sheet-like structures that can form at any altitude in the troposphere.

The stratiform cloud is divided by altitude range in the genera serostratus, high level, outostratus, mid-level, stratus, low-level, and nimbus-stratus, multilevel. Fog is commonly considered a surface-based cloud layer. The fog may form at surface level in clear air, or it may be the result of a very low stratus clouds subsiding to ground or sea level. Conversely, low stratiform clouds result when advection fog is lifted above surface level during breezy conditions.

Syroform. Syroform clouds in the stratosphere are of the genus Cirrus and has. have the appearance of a detached or semi-merged filaments. They form at high tropospheric altitudes in air that is mostly stable with little or no convective activity. Although denser patches may occasionally show build-ups caused by limited high-level convection, where the air is partially unstable. Clouds resembling cirrus can be found above the troposphere but are classified separately

using common names. Stratocumula form. Clouds of this structure have both cumula form and stratiform characteristics in the form of rolls, ripples, or elements. It generally form as a result of limited convection and an otherwise mostly stable air mass topped by an inversion layer. If the inversion layer is absent or higher in the troposphere, increased air mass instability may cause the cloud layers to develop tops in the forms of turrets consisting of embedded cumuliform buildups. The strato-cumuliform group is divided into cumulus, high-level, alto-cumulus, mid-level, and strato-cumulus, low-level. Cumuliform. Cumuliform clouds generally appear in isolated heaps or tufts. They are the product of localized but generally free convective lift, where no inversion layers

are in the troposphere to limit vertical growth. In general, small cumuliform clouds tend to indicate comparatively weak instability. Larger cumuliform types are a sign of greater atmospheric instability and convective activity. Depending on their vertical size, clouds of the cumulus genus type may be low-level or multi-level with moderate to towering vertical extent.

cumulonimbab form The largest free convective clouds comprise the genus cumulinibus which have towering vertical extent. They occur in highly unstable air and often have fuzzy outlines at the upper parts of the clouds that sometimes include anvil tops.

These clouds are the product of very strong convection that can penetrate the lower stratosphere. Levels and genera tropospheric clouds form an of three levels based on altitude range above the Earth's surface. A grouping of clouds into levels is commonly done for the purposes of cloud atlases, surface weather observations, and weather maps.

The base height range for each level varies depending on the latitudinal geographical zone. Each altitude level comprises two or three genus types differentiated mainly by physical form. The standard levels and genus types are summarized below in approximate descending order of the altitude at which each is normally based. Multi-level clouds with significant vertical extent are separately listed and summarized in approximate ascending order of instability or convective activity. High levels form at altitudes of 3,000 to 7600 meters in the polar regions. 5,000 to 12,200 meters in the temperate regions, and 6,100 to 18,300 meters in the tropics. All seriform clouds are classified as high, thus constitute a single genus Cirrus, C-I. Stratocumuliform and stratiform clouds in the high altitude range carry the prefix zero,

yielding the respective genus names Xero cumulus CC and Cerrostratus CS. When limited resolution satellite images of high clouds are analyzed without supporting data from direct human observations, distinguishing

between individual forms or genus types becomes impossible and they are then collectively identified as high type or informally as cirrus type, though not all high clouds are of the cirrus form or genus.

Genus, Cirrus, C.I. These are mostly fibrous wisps of delicate, white, syroform ice crystal clouds that show up clearly against the blue sky. Cirrus are generally non-convective except Castellanus and Flacus subtypes which show limited convection. They often form along a high-altitude jet stream, and at the very leading edge of a frontal or low-pressure disturbance, or they may merge into cirrostratus. This high-level cloud genus does not produce precipitation. Genus Xerocumulus C.

This is a pure wide stratocumuliform layer of limited convection. It is composed of ice crystals or super-cooled water droplets appearing as small, unshated round masses or flakes in groups or lines, with ripples like sand on a beach. Syrocumulus occasionally forms alongside Cirrus and may be accompanied or replaced by cirrostratus clouds near the leading edge of an active weather system. This genus type occasionally produces Virga precipitation that evaporates below the base of the cloud. Genus cirrostratus CS. Cirustratus is a thin non-convective stratiform ice crystal veil that typically gives rise to halos caused by refraction of the sun's rays.

The sun and moon are visible and clear outline. Serostratus does not produce precipitation, but often thickens into alto stratus ahead of a warm front or low-pressure area, which sometimes does. Mid-level. Non-vertical clouds in the middle level are prefixed by alto, yielding the genus names altocumulus AC for stratocumuliform types, and altostratus AS for strataform types. These clouds conform as low as 2,000 meters above the surface at any latitude, but may be based as high as 4,000 meters near the poles, 7,000 meters at mid-altitudes, and 7,600 meters in the tropics. As with high clouds, the main genus types are easily identified.

by the human eye, but distinguishing between them using satellite photography is not possible. Without the support of human observations, these clouds are usually collectively identified as middle type on satellite images. Genus Alto Cumulus AC. This is a middle-level cloud layer of limited convection that usually appears in the form of irregular patches or more extensive sheets arranged in groups, lines, or waves. Alto cumulus may occasionally resemble serocumulus, but is usually thicker and composed of a mix of water, droplets, and ice crystals, so the bases show at least some light gray shading. Alto Cumulus can produce Virga, very light precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground. Chenis Altostratus A.S. Altostratus is a mid-level opaque or translucent non-convective veil of. of gray, blue-gray cloud that often forms along warm fronts and around low-pressure areas.

Altostratus is usually composed of water droplets, but may be mixed with ice crystals at higher altitudes. Wide-spread-spread-opaque altostratus can produce light continuous or intermittent precipitation. Low level. Low clouds are found from near the surface up to 2,000 meters. genus types in this level either have no prefix or carry one that refers to a characteristic other than altitude. Clouds that form in the low level of the troposphere are generally of larger structure than those that form in the middle and high levels, so they can usually be identified by their forms and genus types using satellite photography alone. Genus Stratocumulus SC This genus type is a stratocumuliform cloud layer of limited

convection, usually in the form of irregular patches or more extensive sheets similar to altocumulus, but having larger elements with deeper gray shading. Stratocumulus is often present during wet weather originating from other rain clouds that can only produce very high precipitation on its own. Genus Cumulus C.U. Species cumulus. Little vertical extent. These are small detached, fair-weather accumuliform clouds that have nearly horizontal bases and flattened hops, and do not produce rain showers. Genus Stratus ST This is a flat or sometimes ragged non-convective stratiform type that sometimes resembles elevated fog. Only very weak precipitation can fall from this cloud, usually drizzle or snow grains.

When a very low stratus cloud subsides to surface level, it loses its Latin terminology and is given the common name fog if the prevailing surface visibility is less than one kilometer. If the visibility is one kilometer or higher, the visible condensation is termed mist. Multi-level or vertical low-to-mid-level cloud base. These clouds have low to mid-level bases that form anywhere from near the surface to about 2,400 meters and tops that can extend in the high altitude range. Nimbostratus and some cumulus in this group usually achieve moderate or deep vertical extent, but without towering structure. However, with sufficient air mass instability,

upward-growing cumuliform clouds can grow to high towering proportions. Although genus types with vertical extent are often informally considered a single group, the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO, distinguishes towering vertical clouds more formally as a separate group or subgroup. It is specified that these very large cumuliform and cumulonymiform types must be identified by their standard names, or abbreviations in all aviation observations, M-E-T-A-Rs, and forecasts T-A-Fs, to warn pilots of possible severe weather and turbulence. Multi-level clouds are of even larger structures than low clouds, and are therefore identifiable by their forms and genera, and even species in the case of cumulus congestus, using satellite photography. Moderate or deep vertical genus nimbostratus ns

this is a diffused dark gray multi-level stratiform layer with great horizontal extent and usually moderate to deep vertical development it lacks towering structure and looks feebly illuminated from the inside nimbostratis normally forms from mid-level altostratus and develops at least moderate vertical extent when the base subsides into the low level during precipitation that can reach moderate to heavy and density. It achieves even greater vertical development when it simultaneously grows upward into the high level

due to large-scale frontal or cyclonic lift. The NIMBO prefix refers to its ability to produce continuous rain or snow over a wide area, especially ahead of a warm front. This thick cloud layer may be accompanied by embedded towering cumuliform or cumulonymboform types. Meteorologists affiliated with the World Meteorological Organization, WMO, officially classify Nimbostratus as mid-level for synoptic purposes,

while informally characterizing it as multi-level. Independent meteorologists and educators appear split between those who largely follow the WMO model and those who classify Nimbostratus as low-level, despite its considerable vertical extent and its usual initial formation in the middle altitude range. Genus Cumulus C.U. Species mediocris. Moderate vertical extent. These cumuliform clouds of free convection have clear-cut, medium-gray, flat bases, and white domed tops in the form of small sproutings, and generally do not produce precipitation.

They usually form in the low level of the troposphere, except during conditions of very low relative humidity, when the cloud's bases can rise into the middle altitude range. Cumulus mediocris is officially classified as low level, and more informally characterizes having moderate vertical extent that can involve more than one altitude level.