nuvole

Nuvole, the Italian term for clouds, are visible masses of liquid water droplets or ice crystals suspended in Earth's atmosphere. They form when moist air rises, expands and cools, causing water vapor to condense onto aerosol particles known as condensation nuclei. The appearance and height of clouds vary with atmospheric conditions.

Classification combines altitude and morphology. By altitude, clouds are described as low, middle, or high; by shape, as cumuliform (puffy and vertically developed) or stratiform (layered). Common types include cirrus (high and wispy), cumulus (low to mid, rounded masses), stratus (flat, uniform layers), and cumulonimbus (tall, thunderstorm-producing). Mid-level forms such as altocumulus and altostratus, and precipitation clouds like nimbostratus, are also used.

Role and impact: Clouds are central to the weather system and the climate cycle. They reflect some solar radiation, trap heat, and influence the planetary energy balance depending on their type and altitude. They are essential to the water cycle, producing precipitation and redistributing moisture worldwide.

Cultural and scientific context: In everyday language nuvole often symbolize mood, change, or uncertainty. In meteorology, cloud observation and classification support weather forecasting and climate research by linking atmospheric physics with observable sky phenomena.