DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Ever wonder why clouds stay suspended in the sky instead of falling to the ground? I mean, some clouds can weigh millions of tons, so why not come crashing to the ground?
There are actually several reasons. Buoyancy is a key factor. Warm air (compared to its surroundings) rising eventually cools, allowing water vapor to condense into tiny water droplets, helping a cloud to form.Â
The water droplets are spread out over a large area, but the combined weight is surprisingly quite large. Despite this, clouds remain suspended due to differences in air pressure. Air travels from high to low pressure. So, an upward forcing of wind pressure from ground-level high pressure to lower pressure aloft aids in this suspension. The water droplets are also spread out over a large volume, making the overall density of the cloud less than that of the surrounding air, allowing it to float.Â
In time, if water droplets grow, they will fall to the ground as rain. That's something we'll have to wait for later this week.Â
In the meantime, stay safe, stay sweaty and stay weather-aware.Â
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