When is the last time you looked skyward to view the clouds? In the Berkshires, we have so many attractions on the ground that we must sometimes remind ourselves to look up. Consider, for example, the magnificent flora at Berkshire Botanical Garden, Naumkeag, The Mount and other local flower gardens as well as the many sights and sounds along our many hiking trails.
Take a moment right now and look skyward. Unless it’s overcast, you’ll see clouds. How are they formed, and what are they made of?
Warm, moist air evaporates as water vapor from bodies of water and from plants. Leaves contain pores, enabling them to release stored water by a process known as transpiration. When releasing that water, plants’ roots can take in more water and grow deeper into the soil.
Warm, moist air is less dense than the air around it, so it rises higher into the sky, and wind pushes water vapor to higher elevations.
The higher you go in the atmosphere, temperatures decrease because pressure decreases in higher elevations, allowing the air to spread out and become thinner and therefore cooler. When water rises to an elevation where the temperature is cool enough, it condenses into liquid form.
Air makin...