Skywatch Friday: Cirrus Clouds

I have decided that I will be studying clouds for Skywatch. I have wanted to point up and say, "Oh! See that ---- cloud?"  I can basically do that for the three that we all learn in school but there are thousands of clouds that can tell you what is going on around you. That's what I want to learn. I have found a site, What's This Cloud?, that I will use. (They have a free ebook of clouds here.) Of all the clouds that I photographed this week, this one tickled my fancy the most: high cirrus clouds that went over on August 3rd, two days ago. Cirrus clouds are high and made of ice. I hadn't remembered the ice part. 

Cirrus, Cirrus fibratus, and other species, I am sure.

Clouds have species just like insects!

There is quite a bit of weather lore concerning cirrus clouds. The National Park Service has a weather lore page, where I found these four sayings: 

“If a circle forms ‘round the moon,‘Twill rain soon.” 

The circle that forms around the sun or moon is called a halo. Halos are formed by the light from the sun or moon refracting (bending) as they pass through the ice crystals that form high-level cirrus and cirrostratus clouds. These clouds do not produce rain or snow, but they often precede an advancing low pressure system which may bring bad weather. 

“Trace in the sky the painter’s brush, The winds around you soon will rush." 

The “painter’s brush” are cirrus clouds. These are high-level ice clouds that often precede the approach of a storm system.  

“Mares’ tails and mackerel scales Make lofty ships carry low sails.” 

Mares’ tails are cirrus clouds, called this because they sometimes resemble the flowing tail of a horse in the wind. Mackerel scales are altocumulus clouds. They appear broken and scaly. Neither of these cloud types will bring rain or snow themselves. They do, however, precede an approaching storm front by a day or two. 

“Trace in the sky the painter’s brush, The winds around you soon will rush." 

The “painter’s brush” are cirrus clouds. These are high-level ice clouds that often precede the approach of a storm system. 

Sure enough, today, one and a half days after I saw those clouds, it is raining.  

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