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Classifying
Clouds
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A
quick reference guide to understanding cloud formations
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Clouds are both unique and beautiful, but most importantly,
clouds offer us valuable insights into current and future weather
conditions. Clouds reflect the complexity of our atmosphere and
their forms are influenced by air, moisture, and wind conditions.
To better communicate and understand the infinite cloud forms that
may arise, meteorologists have developed a classification system
based on some fundamental cloud characteristics: the altitude at
which the occur, color, density, shape, and degree of cover. From
this information, we can distill three basic cloud types and seven
other common cloud types. Of course, some classification systems
describe many more cloud types, but these ten provide you with a
good basis upon which to embark on your cloud identification
journey.
Basic cloud types
There three basic cloud types--cirrus, cumulus, and stratus--are
described in the table below.
| Type |
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Description |
| Cirrus |
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Cirrus
clouds are thin, white clouds, separated or detached, with
a feathery or fibrous appearance; they are the highest of
all clouds (forming at heights of 30,000 feet or more
above the earth's surface). Cirrus clouds are formed by
ice needles or spicules. |
| Cumulus |
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Cumulus
clouds are flat-based, billowing clouds with vertical
doming. Often the top of cumulus clouds have a
"cauliflower-like" appearance. Cumulus clouds
are most prominent during the summer months. |
| Stratus |
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Stratus
clouds are thin, sheet-like clouds, often occurring as
continuous layers with some rippling, covering large
portions of the sky. Stratus clouds are frequently gray
and thick. |
Other common cloud types
There are also seven variations of these basic cloud types that
are commonly described: cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, altostratus,
altocumulus, nimbostratus, stratocumulus, and cumulonimbus.
| Type |
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Description |
| Cirrostratus |
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Cirrostratus
clouds are high, thin clouds that give the sky a
milky-white appearance. Like cirrus clouds, cirrostratus
clouds are formed by ice needles or spicules. |
| Cirrocumulus |
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Cirrocumulus
clouds are delicate clouds appearing in bands or ripples
across the sky. Cirrocumulus are among the least common of
the cloud types, forming most commonly as cirrus or
cirrostratus clouds degenerate. They too are often formed
of ice needles or spicules. |
| Altostratus |
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Altostratus
clouds are blue-gray or whitish in color and often cover
large portions of the sky. Altostratus clouds are thinner
if formed at higher altitudes but are heavier and more
dense if closer to the ground. They are formed by water
and ice particles. |
| Altocumulus |
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Altocumulus
clouds are often oval or elliptical in shape, and can have
gray undersides. They often have a "cotton
ball-like" appearance. |
| Nimbostratus |
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Nimbostratus
clouds are often associated with steady precipitation and
occur in thick, continuous layers and are often dark gray
in color. Sometimes, broken smaller nimbostratus clouds
line the underside of the nimbostratus layer. |
| Stratocumulus |
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Stratocumulus
clouds often cover the sky in dark heavy masses, long and
gray. The often form in bands across the sky. |
| Cumulonimbus |
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Cumulonimbus
clouds are taller, towering versions of cumulus clouds.
Their height can be from two to five miles. These clouds
often form thunderstorms. |
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