Cirrostratus Clouds

 

 

Cirrostratus Clouds

Cirrostratus clouds are thin, generally uniform clouds, composed of ice-crystals, capable of forming halos. They are usually located above 5,5 km . When thick enough to be seen, they are whitish, usually with no distinguishing features. When covering the whole sky and sometimes so thin as to be hardly discernible, this may indicate a large amount of moisture in the upper atmosphere. Cirrostratus clouds sometimes signal the beginning of a warm front and thus may be signs that precipitation might follow in the next 12 to 24 hours.

Read more about Cirrostratus Clouds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrostratus_cloud

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Cumulonimbus Clouds

Cumulonimbus (Cb) is a type of cloud that is tall, dense, and involved in thunderstorms and other intense weather. It is a result of atmospheric instability. These clouds can form alone, in clusters, or along a cold front in a squall line. They create lightning through the heart of the cloud. Cumulonimbus clouds form from cumulus clouds (namely from cumulus congestus) and can further develop into a supercell, a severe thunderstorm with special features.

Read more about Cumulonimbus Clouds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulonimbus_cloud

Altocumulus Clouds

Altocumulus Clouds

Altocumulus (Alto, “high”, cumulus, “heaped”) is a cloud belonging to a class characterized by globular masses or rolls in layers or patches, the individual elements being larger and darker than those of cirrocumulus and smaller than those of stratocumulus. Like other cumulus clouds, altocumulus signifies convection. It is usually white or gray, and often occurs in sheets or patches with wavy, rounded masses or rolls. Altocumulus often are seen preceding a cold front, and their presence on a warm, humid, summer morning frequently signals the development of thunderstorms later in the day. Alto means high and these clouds may cause rain if they are higher up.

Read more about Altocumulus Clouds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altocumulus_cloud

Cumulus Clouds

Cumulus Clouds

Cumulus clouds are a type of cloud with noticeable vertical development and clearly defined edges. Cumulus means “heap” or “pile” in Latin. These are often described as “puffy” or “cotton-like” in appearance, cumulus clouds may appear alone, in lines, or in clusters. Cumulus clouds are often precursors of other types of clouds, such as cumulonimbus, when influenced by weather factors such as instability, moisture, and temperature gradient. Cumulonimbus clouds may be associated with phenomena such as landspouts, waterspouts and tornadoes.

Read more about Cumulus Clouds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumulus_cloud

Nimbostratus Clouds

Nimbostratus Clouds

A Nimbostratus cloud is characterized by a formless cloud layer that is almost uniformly dark gray. “Nimbo” is from the Latin word “nimbus”, meaning rain. It is a stratiform cloud that produces rain, developing cloud bases between the surface and 10000 ft (3000 m).[citation needed] Nimbostratus usually has a thickness of 2000 meters. In rare cases, Nimbostratus can be very thin and accompanied by a separate layer of altostratus divided by a cloudless layer. Though found worldwide, nimbostratus is found more commonly in the middle latitudes.

Read more about Nimbostratus Clouds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimbostratus_cloud

Stratus Clouds

 

Stratus Clouds

A stratus cloud (St) is a cloud belonging to a class characterized by horizontal layering with a uniform base, as opposed to convective clouds that are as tall or taller than wide (these are termed cumulus clouds). More specifically, the term stratus is used to describe flat, featureless clouds of low altitude varying in color from dark gray to nearly white. A “cloudy day” usually features a sky filled with stratus clouds obscuring the disk of the sun. These clouds are essentially above-ground fog formed either through the lifting of morning fog or when cold air moves at low altitudes over a region. These clouds do not usually bring heavy precipitation, although drizzle and snow may occur.

Read more about Stratus Clouds: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratus_cloud

Stratocumulus Clouds

 

Stratocumulus Clouds

A stratocumulus cloud belongs to a class characterized by large dark, rounded masses, usually in groups, lines, or waves, the individual elements being larger than those in altocumuli, and the whole being at a lower altitude, usually below 2,400 m (8,000 ft). Weak convective currents create shallow cloud layers because of drier, stable air above preventing continued vertical development.

Read more about Stratocumulus Clouds here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratocumulus_cloud

Altostratus Clouds

Altostratus clouds form when a large lifted air mass is condensed, usually from a frontal system, and can bring rain or snow.form when a large lifted air mass is condensed, usually from a frontal system, and can bring rain or snow.

More Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altostratus_cloud

Cirrus Clouds

Cirrus clouds form above 23,000 feet (about 7,000m), in the cold region of the troposphere. They are denoted by the prefix cirro- or cirrus. At this altitude water almost always freezes so clouds are composed of ice crystals. The clouds tend to be wispy, and are often transparent. Isolated cirrus clouds often do not bring precipitation, however, large amounts of cirrus clouds can indicate an approaching storm system.

Read More about Cirrus Clouds here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrus_cloud