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Comment by mihaic | Hacker News Reader

I've been often surprised at how many "cloud nerds" are in the US, that know so many of the Latin classification terms for different cloud formations. In Europe it seems to be a much more niched thing, and I've never heard anyone discuss clouds at this level.

Is it a subject for which importance is placed in school?

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I grew up in the United States. I have a vivid memory of learning the words for clouds (e.g., cumulus, stratus, cirrus, etc) at the age of six in the first grade. We didn't need to able to spell them, but we had to be able to identify them by matching pictures of the clouds with the words.

German, I somewhat remember that as well from primary school 30 years ago. Not sure about the exact details, though.

I'd guess because they have tornadoes and cyclones in the USA?

Also, big federal agencies in USA (like NASA) have a sizable education/outreach budget. NOAA would be no exception, a quick search returns $34M.

It’s more because of America’s unique farming legacy.

Wouldn't say importance, but I do recall a class where some of the different types of clouds and weather patterns were mentioned. Well, it was either class or a Discovery Channel program, back when they still did educational things.

These days it's probably curious youtubers mentioning these things. I probably underestimate how educational youtube and co are. Mind you, it's superficial knowledge at best, and with the rapid fire distractions going on, it'll be in the one ear and out the other.

I experimented with visual ray cloud busting for a while.

Get concentrated up with meditation first. Then find a likely target (fluffy yet defined. Isolated...). Lay sharpened gaze upon the cloud. Starts to break up in a minute.

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