What are orographic clouds made of?
Mountain clouds produced by orographic lifting of moist air to saturation.
Where does orographic cloud generally form?
As airflow encounters a mountain or hill, it is forced to rise; this is referred to as orographic lift. If the flow is sufficiently humid, clouds form on the windward side of mountains and are called orographic clouds (Figure 2). The type of cloud that forms depends on the air stability and moisture content.
How high are orographic clouds?
12,000 metres
They are normally aligned at right-angles to the wind direction and are formed at altitudes up to 12,000 metres (39,370 ft).
What are the two most common types of orographic clouds?
The most common orographic clouds belong to the genera Altocumulus, Stratocumulus, and Cumulus.
What is orographic rain?
Orographic precipitation, rain, snow, or other precipitation produced when moist air is lifted as it moves over a mountain range. Very heavy precipitation typically occurs upwind of a prominent mountain range that is oriented across a prevailing wind from a warm ocean.
What is another name for the orographic effect?
Orographic precipitation, also known as relief precipitation, is precipitation generated by a forced upward movement of air upon encountering a physiographic upland (see anabatic wind).
What is lee side of mountain?
The term leeward, or lee, refers to slopes that are oriented away from the wind. If winds are strong enough, snow from windward slopes can be redistributed or blown to leeward areas, causing them to become loaded. Wind slabs often form on lee aspects as a result of this wind transport.
What is another name for orographic effect?
What causes orographic rainfall?
Orographic or relief rainfall is caused when masses of air are forced up the side of elevated land formations, such as large mountains (often referred to as an upslope effect). The lift of the air up the side of the mountain results in adiabatic cooling, and ultimately condensation and precipitation.
What does orographic mean?
Definition of orographic. : of or relating to mountains; especially. : associated with or induced by the presence of mountains. orographic rainfall.
What is the process of orographic precipitation?
Orographic precipitation, rain, snow, or other precipitation produced when moist air is lifted as it moves over a mountain range. As the air rises and cools, orographic clouds form and serve as the source of the precipitation, most of which falls upwind of the mountain ridge. Some also falls a short distance downwind of the ridge and is sometimes called spillover.