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 /

    Summer fun: Creating clouds in a bottle

11:00
12 August 2023

Summer 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, 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!

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
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
Rain returns to end dry spell in places. Jet stream delivery. . . Thursday 23 July 2026
Split weather graphic showing widespread showers across the UK and Ireland on the left, and a wind forecast map on the right with a windsock icon and gusts of 25 to 35 mph, highlighting breezy conditions across the two countries.
Thursday 23 July 2026

Jet stream delivery

Rain returns to end dry spell in places
Drought for North Wales and Upper Severn. 2% of average rainfall. . . Thursday 23 July 2026
Split image showing a July rainfall anomaly map of Europe on the left with below-average rainfall across the UK, Ireland, and much of western and central Europe, and an active moorland wildfire on the right producing flames and thick smoke near homes.
Thursday 23 July 2026

2% of average rainfall

Drought for North Wales and Upper Severn
All weather news
This might also interest you
Seasonal warmth between spring thunder. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday 19 April 2026
Split image showing coastal sunset with layered lenticular clouds over rooftops and palm trees on the left, and a green valley with river and hills under soft daylight on the right.
Sunday 19 April 2026

Your weather - Your shots

Seasonal warmth between spring thunder
Historic Storm Éowyn arrives. On this day.... . . Saturday 24 January 2026
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
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