Sunrise or Sunset - Seeing Clouds

This is the next step in applying Creative Scene Investigation (CSI-ing) to "Sunrise on the Killbear Jumping Rocks". The first step explained the colour of the light in Sunrise or Sunset - Seeing Red. 

2518 "Sunset Weather Story"
Another sky with lots of cloud...

Air moves like most everything else following the path of least resistance. Air can move along constant energy surfaces in the atmosphere for free… meteorologists call them isentropic surfaces. These isentropic surfaces slope upward from the equator toward the poles. For air headed northward (in the northern hemisphere), the parcels of air rise for free along those sloped surfaces. These parcels of air from the lower levels of the tropics are loaded with moisture. Clouds form as the air rises and cools. For someone in the mid latitudes, the high level cirrus arrives first to be followed by the mid level altostatus and eventually the low cloud nimbostratus if it is raining. More on clouds in a later Blog... 

The air originating from the Arctic tends to be dry and cold as the parcels start of their southward journey. These parcels become warmer and drier as they descent along the downward sloping isentropic surfaces. Typically not much cloud to see in those southbound flows. For more on isentropic science see 'Isentropic Surfaces - Science and Art Merges'.

You might imagine yourself as a kid with your arms extended along the slope of the isentropic surfaces. With your right hand down and your left hand up, the slope of your arms would be the same as the slope of the isentropic surfaces if you are looking east. You can even make noises and imagine you are an airplane... 

2534 "Sunrise on the Killbear Jumping Rocks"

There is a lot of cloud in this painting. Ice crystal cirrus clouds are overhead with lower level altostratus on the right side horizon. This cloud was painted in more detail in #2536 "Killbear Cirrus Sunrise" . Applying what we just learned, the rising southerly flow full of cloud must be originating from the south. Pointing my right hand down and to the south means that you must be looking eastward in the painting. Those cloudy air parcels are rising on the isentropic surfaces as though they were riding up your extended arms. I saw the sun so it must be dawn and that yellow ball of light was rising. 

But there is much more to CSI in this painting … for another day.

Keep you paddle in the water and warmest regards... 

Phil the Forecaster Chadwick