Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Creating clouds in a bottle

06:00
2 June 2022

Bank holiday fun
Creating clouds in a bottle

cloud in a bottle

Have you ever tried to make your own weather phenomena? We aren't talking about a rain dance or praying for snow, but simply creating a cloud in a bottle.

Creating your own cloud is very simple. All you need is a two litre plastic bottle, some warm water and a couple of matches... and adult supervision if you are too young to use matches.

Pour a small amount of warm water into the bottom of the plastic bottle, leaving the cap off. Then light a match and blow it out. As soon as you have blown it out, you need to drop the match into the bottle and quickly tighten the water bottle cap back on.

With the lid on, gently squeeze the bottle a couple of times. Did you see a little and very brief puff of whiteness when you released the pressure? That's the cloud you've made. If you exert more pressure to the bottle, a more noticeable whiteness should appear.

But how does the cloud form in the bottle?

By squeezing the bottle you exert pressure. This causes the temperature inside the bottle to increase. When you release the pressure, the temperature in the bottle decreases causing water molecules to condense.

The smoke particles from the match enable the water molecules to condense and stick together around the smoke creating the cloud in a bottle.

Have a go for yourself, but don't blink or you'll miss it!

Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Heatwave breaks after remarkable run. Two weeks of heat. . . Monday 20 July 2026
Split image showing the London skyline in hazy golden sunshine on the left and a July temperature anomaly map of Europe on the right, with above-average temperatures across the UK, Ireland, and much of western Europe highlighted in red alongside a thermometer icon.
Monday 20 July 2026

Two weeks of heat

Heatwave breaks after remarkable run
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. Heading over 40°C?. . . Tuesday 21 July 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday 21 July 2026

Heading over 40°C?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
New heatwave in southern Europe. Up to 45 degrees in Spain. . . Tuesday 21 July 2026
Split temperature map showing extreme heat across Spain on the left and Greece on the right, with temperatures reaching 44°C near Murcia, around 40°C in parts of Greece, and a large thermometer icon highlighting dangerous heat.
Tuesday 21 July 2026

Up to 45 degrees in Spain

New heatwave in southern Europe
All weather news
This might also interest you
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
Flooding, gales, and heavy snow. Storm Chandra. . . Tuesday 27 January 2026
Split image showing aerial flooding in a town with muddy water covering roads on the left, and a rural road on the right blocked by heavy snowfall with vans stopped and a person walking in snow.
Tuesday 27 January 2026

Storm Chandra

Flooding, gales, and heavy snow
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList