Why do clouds stay at a certain height?

Answer 1

They don't. Fog and mist are clouds at ground level.

There's different types of cloud, some of them are at very high levels and these are the ones that appear light and wispy. Typical cloud types are cirrus and cirrostratus and they're found at elevations of 6,000 metres upwards. Because they're so high up the air is very cold so they're usually formed of ice crystals.

Mid level clouds form between 2,000 and 6,000 metres and these are the light fluffy ones. They can be either water or ice depending on the air temperature. Typical cloud types are altocumulus, altostratus.

At levels below 2,000 metres the clouds are the ones that appear grey in the sky - often the sort associated with an overcast day and quite likely to contain water which falls as rain. Typical cloud types are nimbostratus and stratocumulus.

There are other types of clouds such as thunder clouds (cumulonimbus) which are vertical and so straddle different cloud zones. These are caused by rapidly rising air and can grow several kilometres in height.

Basically air can only hold a certain amount of moisture and the colder the air the less moisture it can contain. When it reaches a point where it can hold no more water vapor (called saturation point or saturation vapor pressure) then the excess moisture forms into water droplets and this is what we see as a cloud. Depending on the temperature of the air and how high the cloud is, the water can fall to earth as rain, snow, sleet, hail etc.

When the air at ground level reaches saturation point it also forms cloud. When it's thick and visibility is below 1000 metres we refer to it as fog, when it's not so thick it's mist.

Sometimes on a cold morning you'll see banks of vapor hanging low over fields, rivers, lakes etc - this is because the air there is colder and cloud forms.

Answer 2

1. they don't - for example, fog is ground level clouds
2. generally cloud base forms at a certain elevation because that is where the temperature is cool enough to form condensation
3. depending on the atmospheric conditions this may result in relatively flat, high altitude clouds or roiling, bubbling thunderheads which extend several miles up from their base as the air rises within them.

Answer 3

if your talking about the heights of diferent types of clouds e.g nimbo stratus and cumulos clouds, then they reach there varying heights becuase of the weather patterns and the ratio of evaporation versas the movement of the wind, thin wispy clouds are high up because they have less density wheres as low heavy clouds will gather to form rain and storms, fog also has different classifications.

Answer 4

Atmospheric pressure determines a clouds height. From low lying fog to extremely high sirus clouds. Then there' the thick cumulus clouds. They usually come after you wash your car...lol

Answer 5

Erm they dont you never been to the hills and watch a Cumulus cloud become dark then rain on the other side. If not go to the isle of skye its not called the misty isle for nothing

Answer 6

In geography, when a cloud is formed it has to reach a certain level sometimes known as saturation point.

Answer 7

They don't mate! Maybe you should find out the difference between cloud, fog and mist. When you do, it will go a long way in answering your question.

Answer 8

Do you know what fog is? Clouds do not stay at a certain height.

TFTP

Answer 9

that's not true,, clouds are very and different depends on the humidity,, atmosphere pressure ,,temperature ,,but rain clouds are bit low and called accumulative clouds which it can make water drops accumulate and fill down

Answer 10

They don't..
Different types of clouds are frequently found at different
altitudes depending on environmental conditions...