Science_Types of Clouds Booklet

Types of Clouds

2009 ETC Press Inc.

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Altocumulus

Altitude: 2400-6100 m

Abbreviation: Ac

Appearance: large patches arranged in rows.

Alto: (Latin) middleCumulus: (Latin) heaps

Altocumulus are usually white or gray, and often have the form of sheets or patches with wavy, rounded rolls. They are often seen before a cold front and they are usually a signal that thunderstorms might develop later in the day.

Altostratus

Altitude: 2,000-5,000 m

Abbreviation: As

Appearance: Thin sheets of clouds that allows the sun

to shine through them.

Alto: (Latin) HighStratus: (Latin) Layer

Altostratus clouds look like a gray sheet covering the whole sky, while the sun shines through them. They are usually formed by a mass of air that is lifted and then condensed as the temperature cools. They are made of ice crystals, and can cause ice formations on airplanes that fly through them.

Cirrocumulus

Altitude: Above 6000 m

Abbreviation: CC

Appearance: Small patches arranged in rows

Cirrus: (Latin) A curl of hairCumulus: (Latin) Heap

Cirrocumulus are small, white patches of clouds, that are made up of super cooled water droplets and ice crystals. Cirrocumulus are usually found at higher altitudes, tend to have cold temperatures, and appear translucent.

Cirrostratus

Altitude: Above 6000 m

Abbreviation: Cs

Appearance: White cloth like

Cirrus: (Latin) A curl of hairStratus: (Latin) Layer

Cirrostratus clouds are thin, uniform clouds, made up of ice-crystals. When they can be seen they are white in color, with no special characteristics. They are usually a signal that a warm front is moving into the area, and that there might be rain within the next few hours.

Cirrus

Altitude: Above 7000 m

Abbreviation: Ci

Appearance: Thin, hair like strands

Cirrus: (Latin) A curl of hair

Cirrus clouds look like thin, hair like strands. They are formed when water vapor cools in high altitudes, and forms crystals. As the crystals move down in altitude, they tend to move slower than the top layers and therefore, they take on the appearance of hair as they are moved apart by the wind. Cirrus clouds usually indicate that a storm might be moving in within the next few hours.

Cumulonimbus

Altitude: 2,00016,000 m

Abbreviation: Cb

Appearance: Tall and large

Cumulus: (Latin) HeapNimbus: (Latin) Bringing rain

Cumulonimbus clouds are tall, dense, clouds, and are usually involved in thunderstorms. Differences in temperature at different levels of the atmosphere produce cumulonimbus clouds. They can form alone, in clusters, or along a cold front in a squall line.

Cumulus

Altitude: Base below 2,000 m

Abbreviation: Cu

Appearance: puffy

Cumulus: (Latin) Heap

Cumulus clouds usually appear puffy or cotton-like. They usually form when warm air rises and reaches a level of relatively cool air, causing the moisture in the air to condense. When they are small in size, they usually indicate fair weather. However, they can grown into cumulonimbus clouds which bring heavy rain, lightning, strong winds, hail and even tornadoes.

2009 ETC Press Inc.