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Earth's clouds are shrinking, boosting global warming

(www.science.org)
157 points Helmut10001 | 4 comments | 05 Apr 25 12:08 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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jmclnx ◴[05 Apr 25 13:06 UTC] No.43593152[source]▶
Interesting, the area I live in is expected to get more rain as climate change gets worse. So I would think we would have more cloud cover. But the article is about "reflective clouds".

As I look out my window, I see dark clouds right now as opposed to white fluffy clouds. Will need to note the colors as time goes on for my fully non-scientific surveys :)

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goodluckchuck ◴[05 Apr 25 13:20 UTC] No.43593245[source]▶
Clouds are all the same color. The darkness we see is the shadows from other clouds.
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1. jijijijij ◴[05 Apr 25 13:41 UTC] No.43593448[source]▶
How come you sometimes see very dark, lonely clouds in blue skies?
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2. epohs ◴[05 Apr 25 13:48 UTC] No.43593515[source]▶
Likely because they are tall and tilted in a direction facing the sun, so that the moisture blocks more of the light than it would if the sun was hitting it at a more oblique angle.
3. Rexxar ◴[05 Apr 25 13:52 UTC] No.43593549[source]▶
Your relative position to the sun and the cloud.
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4. jijijijij ◴[05 Apr 25 14:54 UTC] No.43593963[source]▶
I am not convinced. This would mean it could only be "blocking" the sun. If anything, it would be atmospheric light reflections blocked. In any case, it's not "other clouds".

I think diffraction has to play a role. Why wouldn't it? Dense, or raining clouds certainly have different water droplet sizes and shapes than fine, fluffy clouds. They may even reflect the ground or sky at some point, I imagine, like the ocean.