What is the range of elevation for clouds?

[H5N1]

When I look into the sky or at the horizon,
how far away might those clouds be?
How big are clouds?

[tridim]

1. I remember my first trip

:)

[H5N1]

3. Tel me about it

Actually, I only drink beer and hard liquor...
and wine.

Someone asked me about this so I thought
I would find the answers.

[tridim]

5. I'm just ribbin' you

looking at all the pretty clouds.

I'm sure there's lots on info online about the size of clouds. It's just kind of a broad question because there are many different types.

[H5N1]

6. Sometimes you can catch the eye of experts around here

and get a pretty lively discussion.
There are posters here who LOVE clouds, I just know it :)

[expatriot]

2. As far as how far away the horizon is.... look at this.

http://www.pvv.ntnu.no/~bcd/shadowworld/info/horizon.html

This table is assuming you are at sea level and the horizon is at sea level (at sea)... it is all about the curviture of the Earth. Of course, on land, this is greatly obstructed by visual obstructions (mountains, hills, trees, buildings) and poor visibility.

[H5N1]

4. I'll have to study that a bit

[Ready4Change]

8. Add to that chart this information

Clouds reach from ground level (fog) to 10's of thousands of feet in the air. Thunderheads can go higher than airliners fly, commonly over 45,000 ft, reportedly reaching as high as 75,000. Those high, wispy cirrus clouds are actually suspended ice crystals, and can be from 18,000 on up.

So, say you're looking at the top of a distant thunderhead that's just visible over the horizon. If its 45,000 feet up, thats about 15,000 meters (15km.) That's about 460km away, according to the chart. Also, add to that your own distance from the horizon, which is about 5km due to your being almost 2m tall. So you get 465km.

465km = 289 miles. About 289 miles to that cloud head JUST poking above the horizon.

Now, can you REALLY see that far? Probably not. Surface haze in the lower atmosphere usually "fogs out" anything you might see that low on the horizon. That's why, in many pictures, the top of a mountain may look crystal clear, but the bottom is almost invisible in haze. The lower amosphere is full of moisture and particulates that turn it into a kind of fog.

Plus, unless you are at sea, the actually horizon is probably blocked by land features. On land you often cannot actually see the horizon. You just see the top of the nearest ridgeline.

The end result is that, on a nice clear day, on relatively flat land, you might be seeing clouds 100-125 miles away. More likely they are only 25-50 miles away or so.

[achtung_circus]

7. This sums it up

Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons everywhere, I’ve looked at cloud that way.
But now they only block the sun, they rain and snow on everyone.
So many things I would have done but clouds got in my way.

I’ve looked at clouds from both sides now,
From up and down, and still somehow
It’s cloud illusions I recall.
I really don’t know clouds at all.

Moons and junes and ferris wheels, the dizzy dancing way you feel
As every fairy tale comes real; I’ve looked at love that way.
But now it’s just another show. you leave ’em laughing when you go
And if you care, don’t let them know, don’t give yourself away.

I’ve looked at love from both sides now,
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall.
I really don’t know love at all.

Tears and fears and feeling proud to say I love you right out loud,
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds, I’ve looked at life that way.
But now old friends are acting strange, they shake their heads, they say
I’ve changed.
Something’s lost but something’s gained in living every day.

I’ve looked at life from both sides now,
From win and lose, and still somehow
It’s life’s illusions I recall.
I really don’t know life at all.

Joni Mitchell