NINE CLOUDS IN ARIZONA

...or being on cloud nine in AZ

During the late summer months, we see some spectacular clouds in our Arizona skies. Recently, we've been appreciating cumulus, cumulonimbus, and stratocumulus clouds in the Phoenix area. Please click this link to appreciate nine of our favorite clouds formations from the month of September.

Arizona clouds are so special; they inspire scientists and artists alike. From Maynard Dixon's Cloud World to contemporary Native American poet Ofelia Zepeda's book Where Clouds Are Formed, it's worth taking a few minutes to explore creative odes to Arizona's enchanting skyscapes.

The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is currently researching the feasibility of cloud seeding to produce more rain in our area. If you're interested in cloud science, browse through recent research being conducted by the University of Arizona's Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering. The Lab for Multiscale Cloud Modeling and Experimentation is studying "scale interactions in the atmosphere" and "how best to represent these in weather and climate models in order to build resilience in water-susceptible regions."

While we're not cloud experts, we trust our scientists at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to provide accurate information, so here's a link to an interesting short video they've created about clouds and a link to their guide to identifying different types of clouds.