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Cloud Classification
Cloud Classification
Clouds are classified according to their height and appearance (texture)
Clouds are classified according to their height and appearance (texture)
A combination of 5 Latin words gives us all 10 major cloud classifications:
Cirrus → curl of hair, feathery
Cumulus → heap, rounded
Stratus → layered
Nimbus → raining
Alto → middle
Location
Location
Based on cloud bases in the mid-latitudes.
High-Level Clouds:
High-Level Clouds:
Cirrus, Cirrostratus, Cirrocumulus
Mid-Level Clouds:
Mid-Level Clouds:
Altostratus, Altocumulus
Low-Level Clouds:
Low-Level Clouds:
Stratus, Nimbostratus, Stratocumulus, Cumulus
Clouds with vertical development:
Clouds with vertical development:
Cumulus Congestus, Cumulonimbus
High-Level Clouds
High-Level Clouds
Cirrus (Ci)
Cirrus (Ci)
Thin, wispy, silky clouds
Made of ice crystals
Blown by the wind
Cirrostratus (Cs)
Cirrostratus (Cs)
Thin clouds that cover a large portion (if not all) of the sky
Sheet-like
Made of ice crystals
Sometimes create optics like halos and sun dogs
Cirrocumulus (Cc)
Cirrocumulus (Cc)
Little white puffs
Made of ice crystals or water droplets
Typically in long rows
Mid-Level Clouds
Mid-Level Clouds
Altostratus (As)
Altostratus (As)
Sun dimly visible
Deck of layered gray clouds
Altocumulus (Ac)
Altocumulus (Ac)
Gray puffs (rounded elements)
Less than 1 km thick
Puffs are a little larger than the puffs of cirrocumulus
Low-Level Clouds
Low-Level Clouds
Cumulus (Cu)
Cumulus (Cu)
Commonly referred to as "cotton candy clouds"
White or gray base, but white top
Summer day clouds
Stratus (St)
Stratus (St)
Low, grayish uniform cloud deck
Typically covers the whole sky
Typically no precipitation (if any would be drizzle)
Stratocumulus (Sc)
Stratocumulus (Sc)
Lumpy clouds
Always appear in large groups covering most of the sky
Can look like cumulus but are a little flatter
Nimbostratus (Ns)
Nimbostratus (Ns)
Darker gray cloud
Light to moderate continuous precipitation (rain or snow)
Clouds with Vertical Development
Clouds with Vertical Development
Cumulus Congestus (Tcu)
Cumulus Congestus (Tcu)
Towering cumulus
Most often a large single cloud, but can grow into each other
Cauliflower tops
Showery activity
Lightning is not yet present
Cumulonimbus (Cb)
Cumulonimbus (Cb)
Thunderstorm cloud
Low base, but cloud tops can be as high as the tropopause
May have features such as an anvil (spread out on top) or Mammatus clouds (seen hanging beneath the anvil)
Practice Identifying Clouds Using the Live UND Skycams!
Practice Identifying Clouds Using the Live UND Skycams!
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