why do clouds rarely touch the ground?
922889
Because air at ground level and a significant distanace above is rarely saturated - when it is, fog forms - which is a cloud on the ground. It has to be saturated a significant distance above ground or else you only get shallow areas of ground fog or dew/frost (if it is unsaturated say 50-200 feet above ground).\n\nBases of what we normally consider to be clouds rarely touch the ground because rising air motion is required to saturate the air and form the cloud. If it has to rise to do that, it cannot occur on the ground - though such clouds can be advected to a higher location and perhaps reach ground level there - or as is more common, the rising motion occurs up a slope with a cloud forming at some point along it.
208662
Cumulus clouds develop as follows: unsaturated air heats at ground, becomes bouyant, and rises in updrafts - cooling until it reaches the point condensation. Air over a given locale is usually pretty well mixed, such that the temperature and dewpoint of the updrafts is very similar. Thus they condense consistently very near the same level - that of the rather flat bases. Once a flat base is formed, air directly below that is very nearly saturtated. So any further air moition upward reinforces the base, and any horizontal air motion near the base and subsequent rising will tend to cause the cloud base to expand at the same height.\n\nThe top & sides are fluffy because the bouyant plumes of air encounter warmer & drier air at some point, they rise slower and eventually stop, and the condensation ceases. Downdrafts also develop at the periphery of cumulus clouds.
364366
As air rises to get over the mountain, it cools.  Cooler air can't carry as much water vapor as warmer air, so cloud droplets form.
479562
Clouds are formed when water vapour in the air is cooled and condenses as part of the water cycle. Clouds consist of billions of tiny water droplets (and even ice crystals) floating in the sky and appear in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on how and where they formed.
404328
For clouds to form the air has to be unstable, meaning that the air at the surface is warmer than the air above. Remember the saying warm air rises? So when the air rises it hits a level called the Lifting Condensation Level or LCL. If the air rises to this point it then can start to condense on particles in the sky forming clouds.
603703
Cloud reading is a fascinating hobby, and a life-saving ability for sailors, mountain climbers and others who find themselves in the wide open spaces. \nYou need to learn about basic kinds of clouds -- the various types of cumulus clouds,for example -- and how they react in your geographical area. Clouds interact with mountains and with water. They load up when they travel over a body of water (the ocean, a lake, etc.) and when they meet a mountain they have to rise to go over it. So, they drop their water. That gives you rain on one side of the mountain and dry conditions on the other side. \nA good place to learn about clouds is from your local weather center (check the nearest airport for the meteorological station closest to you) or you might even give your local TV weatherman a call.
1166276
Clouds are mists of water droplets that have condensed out of water vapour at "dewpoint", which is dependent on temperature, pressure, and humidity.\n\nThere is no intelligence or knowing involved.\n\nClouds don't fly, they are blown by the wind.
470783
yes, clouds are just like fog, except they are higher and some contain moisture.  Although you can't walk on clouds, they do hold water that can fall down to earth as water or ice, that has a lot to do with how hard the wind is blowing at the same height as the cloud holding the water.  But aircraft fly though clouds all the time, so you can't walk on it, and trying to grab a cloud with your hand would be like catching smoke.
561928
Lightning travels from the ground up to the clouds, not the other way around.
36446
A cloud is a visible body of very fine water droplets or ice particles suspended in the atmosphere at altitudes ranging up to several miles above sea level.
249475
Clouds are flat on the bottom because of the condensation level. There is a point as you climb in altitude (not always the same) where the moist rising air reaches the dew point (saturation point) and condenses onto tiny particulate matter in the air. It's nearly flat looking because of the temperature change as you climb is nearly parallel to the ground. Sort of even. Not quite.
147828
High and low pressure regions result from uneven heating of the surface and the movement of air masses.\n\nAreas of low pressure occur where air is being displaced upwards either due to convection or the movement of a front (usually a cold front). This usually results in unstable air, clouds, and rain. Wind circulates counter-clockwise around low-pressure centers in the northern hemisphere. \n\nAreas of high pressure occur where air is sinking - if you are in a high pressure zone where the air column is stable you experience clear skies.\n\nAlso there are regions around the United states that experience persistent highs or persistent lows - places where these pressure conditions are almost always present.
380819
when clouds melts then it rains,its the water cycle...water evaporates due to heat n goes up n along with dust particles  it forms what we called clouds n these clouds keep floating n when temperature rises n clouds reach certain atm. pressure due to it melting,,raining occurs
495263
Because the air closer to the earth isn't always at the correct temperature and humidity level to create clouds.
997610
They are shaped by the wind and heat.\nSee in\nhttp://allaboutweather.tripod.com/cloudclassification.htm
1063608
It does acts, otherwise the clouds would not form or if formed would leave earth's atmosphere.\nForce of gravity is directly proportional to mass of bodies( here earth and cloud) and the reciprocal of square of distance between them.\nIt comes out to be small to bring it down but not too small to hold.
1078413
the "winds aloft" at certain heights.  The higher the winds aloft decides what makes clouds flat on top or on bottom.  The wind shirrs them into that shape.  (Actually, they look flatter from the ground than they really are.)