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General Discussion >> Hurricane Ask/Tell
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Keith234
Storm Chaser


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Loc: 40.7N/73.3W Long Island
Why are clouds so dark when there is rain?
      #29045 - Sat Sep 18 2004 02:58 PM

I've had these rather dumb question for a long time, never could figure out. I thought at first that it was becasue of water vapor but water is clear. So could anyway anwser this question, why are clouds so dark when there is rain or it's raining?

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"I became insane with horrible periods of sanity"
Edgar Allan Poe


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Clark
Meteorologist


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Re: Why are clouds so dark when there is rain? [Re: Keith234]
      #29051 - Sat Sep 18 2004 03:23 PM

When it is raining, there is sufficient water vapor in the air in the clouds to block out the majority of the sun's rays. This results in a dark color being given to the bottom of the cloud. The color patterns with clouds in general, whether white, gray, or plain old dark, are a function of the diffusion of light by the water molecules in the clouds.

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Keith234
Storm Chaser


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Posts: 921
Loc: 40.7N/73.3W Long Island
Re: Why are clouds so dark when there is rain? [Re: Clark]
      #29056 - Sat Sep 18 2004 03:29 PM

So generally speaking the more water vapor in a cloud the darker it will be?

--------------------
"I became insane with horrible periods of sanity"
Edgar Allan Poe


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