qbynewbie
Pre-takeoff checklist
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2007
- Messages
- 353
- Display Name
Display name:
Qbynewbie
I had a flight last night at 7:00 pm and it reminded me of a question that I've yet to find the answer to.
The afternoon sky was full of cumulus clouds. A low over Canada had been sending troughs through for days, so we were seeing occasional rain followed by bright sun for a few minutes, followed by another cycle, all day. By afternoon, the radar was showing what I think of as "pop up" storms all over the region but especially to the south. Some had lightning, again to the south.
By 7:00 pm, most of the cumulus clouds were gone but there were a lot of stratus clouds around. So I found myself wondering if:
1. The cumulus clouds had drifted away and stratus clouds had drifted in or simply formed (not my choice), or
2. The cumulus clouds had collapsed into stratus clouds.
That led me to wonder if stratus clouds were denser than cumulus clouds... it would seem they would have to be if cumulus were collapsing into stratus. If not, where did all the extra moisture go to?
So if anyone can help this fledgling pilot-cum-meteorologist understand this aspect of clouds, I'd be very grateful.
The afternoon sky was full of cumulus clouds. A low over Canada had been sending troughs through for days, so we were seeing occasional rain followed by bright sun for a few minutes, followed by another cycle, all day. By afternoon, the radar was showing what I think of as "pop up" storms all over the region but especially to the south. Some had lightning, again to the south.
By 7:00 pm, most of the cumulus clouds were gone but there were a lot of stratus clouds around. So I found myself wondering if:
1. The cumulus clouds had drifted away and stratus clouds had drifted in or simply formed (not my choice), or
2. The cumulus clouds had collapsed into stratus clouds.
That led me to wonder if stratus clouds were denser than cumulus clouds... it would seem they would have to be if cumulus were collapsing into stratus. If not, where did all the extra moisture go to?
So if anyone can help this fledgling pilot-cum-meteorologist understand this aspect of clouds, I'd be very grateful.
Last edited: