Clouds on the Scale: Discovering the Surprising Weight of Our Fluffy Friends

Have you ever wondered how much a cloud weighs? It's a question that seems almost impossible to answer, but scientists have been able to come up with an estimate. Clouds are made of water vapor, which is a gas, so they don't have a specific weight like solids or liquids. However, scientists have come up with a way to estimate the weight of a cloud by calculating the weight of the water droplets that make it up. According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, an average cumulus cloud, which is the type of cloud that looks like a fluffy cotton ball, can weigh anywhere from 100,000 to 200,000 pounds. That's the equivalent of 50 to 100 elephants! Of course, the weight of a cloud can vary depending on its size and the amount of water vapor it contains. A larger cumulonimbus cloud, which is the type of cloud that produces thunderstorms, can weigh as much as 1 million pounds or more. While the weight of a cloud may seem like a trivial fact, it actually has important implications for weather forecasting and aviation. Knowing the weight of a cloud can help meteorologists predict how much precipitation it will produce and how it will affect weather patterns. Additionally, pilots need to be aware of the weight of clouds when flying through them, as they can cause turbulence and other hazards.

Artificial clouds to study disturbances

NASA is all set to release rockets that will form white artificial clouds which will enable scientists to study the disturbances in the upper atmosphere that interfere with communication and technology systems. According to the US space agency, residents of the Republic of the Marshall Islands will be able to see the artificial clouds between August 29 and September 9 when the two rocket flights are slated to take off. Certain disturbances are known to occur after sunset at latitudes near the equator in part of the ionosphere. These disturbances interfere with radio communication, navigation and imaging systems and pose a hazard to technology and society that depends on it. The Waves and Instabilities from a Neutral Dynamo (WINDY) mission will study this phenomenon with the help of the artificial clouds. The first rocket will carry a substance called tri-methyl aluminium (TMA) and lithium which will be released in the upper atmosphere to form artificial glowing clouds. Scientists on the ground will study these clouds to measure the winds and energetic particles that are in motion in the upper atmosphere. Five minutes after the launch of the first rocket, a second rocket carrying instruments to measure ionosphere densities and electric and magnetic fields present in these storms will be launched. Both rockets will enable scientists to study the disturbances in the ionosphere and find remedies to fix it.