pretty, powerful clouds -...

© 2013 Universal Uclick

from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal UclickUp in the Sky

Pretty, Powerful Clouds Have you been watching the clouds this summer? In some areas of the country, people use clouds to help predict threatening weather. But clouds can also be beautiful and fun to study. Clouds play an important part inour environment, affecting temperatures and carrying moisturethat will fall to Earth. They can be dangerous when they form storms such as tornadoes.What is a cloud? A cloud is a clump of tiny water droplets or ice crystals floating in the atmosphere. The atmosphere is a layer of gases (such as oxygen) that surrounds the Earth. Water vapor, which is water in gas form, is also in the atmosphere.How clouds form When water vapor rises in theatmosphere, it grows colder, whichcauses it to turn into liquid water. Or if it is really cold, the vapor turns into ice crystals. The drops of water and ice crystalscome together to make cloud droplets. When water is in the form of gas, it is invisible. When it turns to liquid or ice, we can see it. We see clouds.

Clouds bring moisture After clouds form, the water droplets either evaporate, or turn back into gas, or come together.

When enough join together, they form a raindrop or a snowflake.

When the raindrops or snowflakes grow big enough, they fall to Earth.

Cloud colors When we look up, clouds usually look white. But if they are filled with alot of water, they block out so much sunlight that they look gray to us. Clouds with a greenish color have hail within them. Strong storms, including tornadoes, can come out of this type of cloud.Clouds affect temperature At night during winter, clouds can act as a blanket over the Earth, keeping some of the sun’s warmth from escaping back into space. Cloudy winter nights may be as much as 15 degrees warmer than nights that are clear.

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that comes down from a thunderstorm toward the ground.This is a 1999 tornado in Oklahoma City, where more deadly tornadoes touched down this year.Watching the clouds can help you be aware of bad weather on the way. ph

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from The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

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Cloud Categories

Words that remind us of clouds are hidden in the block below. Some words are hidden backward or diagonally, and some letters are used twice. See if you can find: ATMOSPHERE, CIRRUS, CLOUDS, CUMULUS, EVAPORATE, FOG, LENTICULAR, MAMMATUS, MOISTURE, RAIN, SNOW, STORM, STRATUS, TEMPERATURE, THREATENING, TORNADO, VAPOR, WATER, WAVE, WEATHER.

Clouds try ’n’find

Let it rain — but not too much!

M E G N I N E T A E R H T Q B O E V A W O N S S U T A R T S I D W A T M O S P H E R E C U S S A E P R A L U C I T N E L T D T N A O W J N I A R H K U U U E O R T R S U T A M M A M R O R U R O H A V A P O R V U E L F O G M T E T S U R R I C Z C X E R U T A R E P M E T L


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ready resourcesfrom The Mini Page © 2013 Universal Uclick

The Mini Page provides ideas for websites, books or other resources that will help you learn more about this week’s topics.On the Web:• weather.gov• nws.noaa.gov/om/reachout/kidspage.shtmlAt the library: • “Peterson First Guide to Clouds and Weather” by Vincent J. Schaefer and John A. Day • “Eyewitness Weather” by Brian Cosgrove • “Clouds” by Erin Edison

There are about 30 different kindsof clouds. Experts have broken thesedown into three main types.

2. Stratus Stratus (STRAT-us) clouds floatfrom about 6,500 to 23,000 feet high.When stratus clouds are overhead,the whole sky looks gray. Steadyrains and snows fall from thistype of cloud.

3. Cumulus Cumulus (KYOOM-you-lus) arethe lowest clouds, floating from thesurface of the Earth to about 6,500feet high. They don’t always fill thewhole sky, which can cause someweird events.

1. Cirrus Cirrus (SEER-us) are the highestclouds, floating from 16,000 to45,000 feet up in the air.

These wispy-looking clouds are often called “mare’s tails” because they look like a horse’s tail. “Cirrus” comes from the word for curl.

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Stratus clouds are flat clouds that usually appear in layers. “Stratus” means layer.

For example, maybe you’ve beenon one side of a street with a bluesky overhead and no rain falling onyou, but right across the street, thesky was dark with cumulus clouds,and rain was pouring down.

“Cumulus” comes from a word meaning swelling. These layered, lumpy-looking clouds bring rain showers or thunderstorms.

A different type of cloud Fog is a cloud that forms on the ground. When you are out on a foggy day, you are standing inside a cloud.

Fog can make it difficult for drivers to see far ahead on the road.

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Rookie Cookie’s RecipeCrunchy Edamame

You’ll need:• 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen shelled edamame (soybeans)• 1 tablespoon olive oil• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese• salt and pepper to tasteWhat to do:1. Thaw frozen edamame by rinsing with cold water in a large colander.2. Dry edamame with paper towels; place in a 9-by-13-inch

baking dish.3. Blend olive oil with lemon juice; pour over edamame.4. Sprinkle cheese evenly over the soybeans; salt and pepper to taste.5. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 15 minutes until cheese melts.You will need an adult’s help with this recipe.


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Meet Dana Gaier Dana Gaier is the voice of Edith in the movie “Despicable Me 2.” She voiced the same role in “Despicable Me.” Dana, 15, grew up in New Jersey. She sang Aretha Franklin’s song “Respect” for her school talent show when she was only 8. She has sung and acted in several musical plays and has appeared in TV shows. She also plays the guitar and writes songs. Dana, an honor student, was president of her elementary school and vice president of her

middle school. She plays lacrosse and field hockey on high school teams. She also plays soccer, basketball and softball. Dana works against bullying. With her sister and parents, she co-founded an anti-bullying website, gyourb.org (for “Got Your Back”). She volunteers at local senior citizen homes and helps at soup kitchens.


Warren: What do raindrops always say?Wendy: “Two’s company, three’s a cloud!”

Winton: When is a hurricane over?Wally: Mon-sooner or later!

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All the following jokes have something in common. Can you guess the common theme or category?

Wilson: What do tornadoes fight in?Wilma: Whirl wars!

Mini Spy . . .Mini Spy and Basset Brown are protecting Mini’s home from a storm. See if you can find: • exclamation mark• paintbrush • letter L • pencil • ruler• mushroom • sailboat • marshmallow • word MINI• fish • kite • fish hook • heart• book • ladder • funny face • peanut• question mark • toothbrush • bell


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Supersport: Danny GreenHeight: 6-6 Birthdate: 6-22-87Weight: 210 Hometown: North Babylon, N.Y. When playing basketball at the University of North Carolina, Danny Green thrilled the crowd with his pre-game dancing and versatility on the court. Green doesn’t dance now. He just dazzles. The San Antonio Spurs wing player is one of the top 3-point shooters

in the NBA. He hit 42.9 percent of his triples during the regular season and set a league record for most 3’s made in the NBA Finals. As a college player, Green helped UNC win a national title with his all-around skills. It later looked as if he would never make it in the NBA. He got cut by Cleveland once and San Antonio twice. But his perseverance paid off, and the Spurs are glad they gave him another look. Green’s shooting, defense and overall game must make him want to dance.

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Cloud Clues

The Mini Page StaffBetty Debnam - Founding Editor and Editor at Large Lisa Tarry - Managing Editor Lucy Lien - Associate Editor Wendy Daley - Artist

The Mini Page looks at some more cloud types.Mammatus Mammatus (muh-MA-tus) cloudslook like bags that have been filledtoo full and are sagging at thebottom. They form underneath otherclouds, usually under storm clouds.

Storm safety • Stay alert to changing weather conditions. When the sky turns very black, dark gray or green, and when the wind picks up, a storm is approaching. Do NOT stay outside. • Any time you hear thunder or see lightning, even in the distance, go inside at once. Do not stay in a sports dugout. Go inside a building or vehicle. A good way to remember this is: When thunder roars, go indoors! • If there is a tornado warning, the best place to be is in a basement or interior room, such as a closet or bathroom, away from outside walls and windows. If you are away from home, try to find shelter in a sturdy building. Do not stay under a bridge. • Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radio. These radios will sound an alert tone if dangerous weather is coming to your area. Make sure your weather radio is turned on and has fresh batteries in case the power goes out. If the National Weather Service issues a warning for your area, the radio will alert you, day or night.

Lenticular “Lenticular” (len-TIK-you-ler)comes from the word for lens, andthese clouds resemble a microscopeor eyeglass lens. But to today’s skywatchers, lenticular clouds probablylook more like flying saucers.

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Mammatus clouds get their name from their appearance. The baglike clouds that hang beneath the main cloud look like a cow’s udders, or mammary glands.

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Lenticular clouds, such as this one over the Inyo Mountains in California, often form above mountain tops.

WaveWave clouds form when wind blows the clouds over hills or mountains. There are often several layers of wave clouds. These clouds formed over the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

photo by Gary Coffman, courtesy NOAA/Department of Commerce

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Next week, The Mini Page is all about electricity.

Altocumulus Altocumulus (al-toe-KYOOM-you-lus) clouds form about 6,000 to 20,000feet above the Earth.

Altocumulus clouds are puffy clouds that often group together in rows. They create dramatic skies.

Look through your newspaper for news about the weather.

The Mini Page thanks Steve Kuhl, meteorologist in charge, National Weather Service Forecast Office, Quad Cities IA/IL, for help with this issue.

pretty, powerful clouds -...

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