VaporClouds and HumidityIn the water cycle, one water storage method is vapor in the air, such as clouds and humidity (the water cycle is all about storing water and moving water on, in, and above the Earth).Although the atmosphere may not be a great storehouse of water, it is the superhighway used to move water around the globe. There is always water in the atmosphere. Clouds are, of course, the most visible manifestation of atmospheric water, but even clear air contains water — water in particles that are too small to be seen. One estimate of the volume of water in the atmosphere at any one time is about 3,100 cubic miles (mi3) or 12,900 cubic kilometers (km3). That may sound like a lot, but it is only about 0.001 percent of the total Earth's water volume. If all of the water in the atmosphere rained down at once, it would only cover the ground to a depth of 2.5 centimeters, about 1 inch. In the middle of July in Central Texas, that much rain sounds great! Unfortunately, as vapor (humidity), it's not as much fun. 
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