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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | APRIL 2022 13 We often take for granted the natural beauty of clouds. Whether it be nice white puffy clouds against a rich blue sky or magnificent yellow/orange/red looking clouds at sunrise or sunset, some types of clouds are visible on more than half the days of the year. So let's take a look at some of the cloud types that we see here in the Pass Area. First of all, clouds are generally categorized into three different types: low, middle, and high. Low clouds are generally below 8,000 feet; middle clouds are between 8,000 and about 18,000 feet; and high clouds are generally above 18,000 feet and usually not any higher than 45,000 feet. One of the most common low clouds here in Beaumont are stratus clouds (see Figure 1). These are most common in the spring months of May and June when low clouds form over the ocean and onshore winds move the clouds into the Pass Area. Sometimes these are thick enough to produce localized drizzle. Another common low cloud in the winter months develops following the passage of a cold front. These are cumulus clouds, commonly called fair weather clouds (see Figure 2). These are notable for their puffy, cotton-ball look. We occasionally see orographic clouds during the winter months. These are essentially cumulus clouds, but they form from relatively moist air being lifted and cooled in the upward ascent to the mountains (see Figure 3). Generally, these clouds are observed only over the mountain areas. High cirrus clouds are also fairly frequent (see Figure 4). These are composed of ice crystals and create a feathery look to the clouds. They are most common during the winter months, but are sometimes associated with distant thunderstorms during the late summer months. Lastly, there are cumulonimbus clouds, which are the type associated with thunderstorms (see Figure 5). Here in the Pass Area, these can develop during the summer months when monsoonal moisture is transported from the east or southeast. While these are more common in the deserts and mountains, we can occasionally get a summer thunderstorm when the conditions are just right: thunderstorms developing over the mountains and then moving over us by southeasterly winds aloft. In the next article, Part 2 (June's Breeze), we will look at several additional cloud formations which are generally less frequent in our area. "Understanding the Weather" – A Series by Mel Zeldin, Retired Meteorologist Clouds – Part 1 Figure 5. Cumulonimbus cloud Figure 1. Stratus clouds Figure 2. Cumulus clouds Figure 3. Orographic clouds over elevated terrain Figure 4. Cirrus clouds high in the atmosphere

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