Science Symposium: Luke Howard

Isaiah Ramos                                                                                                   9/24/2020

Meteorology                                                                                                        Block 2

                                                        Luke Howard

    Luke Howard was a British Manufacturing Chemist who was able to create a naming system to differentiate the all types of clouds. Luke Howard was far from being one of the smartest scientist, but he was definitely a very curious one. He made countless errors from his work which is really the only thing he learned from. Inspired by John Dalton, a friends of his, who in 1797 released a paper on cloud droplets are influenced by gravity, he really began his work in Meteorology after that. one of his first works, "On the Modification of Clouds", came to be what he actually is most known for in the present day. According to his paper he claimed that every cloud belonged to one of three major cloud groups, them being cumulus, stratus, and nimbus. Howard's main interest was to be able to study how the clouds made their constant transitions from one type to another, and this classification system made it much easier for him. 

    Even though in 1803, the year after the paper was published, many scientists began to use his work, it was not officially adopted by the World Meteorological Organization, 32 years after his death. His second most recognizable work would be titled, The Climate of London published in 1818. He would be one of the first scientists to suggest the environments made unnaturally, such as New York City with all of its buildings and roads, have a heavy toll on the climate and weather for that area. At the time since he was not known in the field of science until after his death, he left London for Yorkshire in 1824 with his main focus on charity and educational work. Although Howard made some feeble attempts to make a discovery in 1842 and 1847, he simply spent any time he had left researching and not to focused and discovering something amazing. Currently, there are four official names for clouds, them being cumulus, stratus, cirrus, and nimbus. He not only made the nomenclature for clouds, but in addition studied how the different types of clouds can tell you what the weather is going to be like on that day.