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May 3, 2024 · Be on the lookout for anvil clouds, shelf clouds, funnel clouds, and these other cloud types almost guaranteed to indicate a storm is looming. Learn to recognize and name the basic cloud types based on a cloud's shape and height in the sky. Plus, learn what each type tells about the weather.
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- Low-Level Clouds. Since there are so many different types of clouds, we’ve organized them here based on how high up you’re likely to find them in the atmosphere.
- Mid-Level Clouds. At this point, we’ve discussed all of the cloud types that normally form in the lowest layers of the atmosphere. So, we’re ready to move upward in altitude to the mid-level clouds, which form between about 7,000 feet and 23,000 feet (2,000 m to 7,000 m) above the ground.
- High-Level Clouds. Once we move into the highest level of the troposphere, there are three main types of clouds that you ought to look out for. Due to their high altitude, these cloud types are almost always composed of ice crystals.
- Clouds With Vertical Development. Although most clouds are found within a distinct layer of the troposphere, there’s one cloud type that doesn’t quite follow the rules.
Oct 12, 2023 · There are 10 primary types of clouds on Earth. Here you can learn about what they're made of, how they form and how they are classified.
Apr 27, 2022 · Learn about the 10 basic types of clouds based on their altitude, shape, and precipitation. See examples, worksheets, and references for more information on clouds and weather.
- Cirrus. Cirrus clouds are delicate, feathery clouds that are made mostly of ice crystals. Their wispy shape comes from wind currents which twist and spread the ice crystals into strands.
- Altocumulus. Altocumulus clouds have several patchy white or gray layers, and seem to be made up of many small rows of fluffy ripples. They are lower than cirrus clouds, but still quite high.
- Cumulus. Cumulus clouds look like fluffy, white cotton balls in the sky. They are beautiful in sunsets, and their varying sizes and shapes can make them fun to observe!
- Stratocumulus. Stratocumulus clouds are patchy gray or white clouds that often have a dark honeycomb-like appearance. Weather prediction: Fair weather for now, but a storm might be on its way.
Learn about different types of clouds based on their shape, height, and formation. See diagrams, images, and descriptions of high, middle, low, and unusual clouds.
Mar 28, 2023 · From the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) International Cloud Atlas, the official worldwide standard for clouds, the following are definitions of the ten basic cloud types, divided by their height: High-Level Clouds. Cirrus (Ci), cirrocumulus (Cc), and cirrostratus (Cs) are high level clouds.
