• Question: Why are clouds different shades of gray?

    Asked by higglebiggle to David, Luna, Probash on 24 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Probash Chowdhury

      Probash Chowdhury answered on 24 Mar 2011:

      It depends on the density of the cloud and how much and direction of the light reflecting off the cloud that gives the shade of grey.

    • Photo: David Pyle

      David Pyle answered on 24 Mar 2011:

      The colour of clouds is mostly due to light scattering by the water, snow or ice droplets in the cloud. This will vary according to the angle that the cloud is illuminated from; it will depend on the size of the water droplets, and the concentration of droplets in the cloud. So, a thin high cloud is often white, a thundercloud (carrying lots of water) is often drak grey to black..

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