Heavenly Pup
Reincarnated
- Sep 18, 2021
- 430
Groups of clouds:
Low clouds: Surface - 7,000 feet (Surface - 2 kilometers).
Middle clouds: 7,000 - 23,000 feet (2 - 7 kilometers).
High clouds: 16,000 - 43,000 feet (5 - 13 kilometers).
Special clouds: Not characterized by height.
Suffixes/Prefixes used for identification:
Cumulus/Cumu: Fluffy clouds.
Stratus/Strato: A sheet of clouds.
Nimbus/Nimbo: Precipitating clouds
Alto: Mid-level clouds
Cirro: Ice crystal clouds.
Mamma: Breast-like appearance.
Low Clouds:
Cumulus clouds:
Low fluffy clouds. Have varying shapes and sizes.
These are typically accompanied by fair weather. Most iconic cloud type.
Stratus clouds:
Low, thin, gray/white sheets covering the sky. Thin enough for the sun or moon to shine through.
Looks like a fog that doesn't reach the ground. Accompanied by fair, perhaps misty, gloomy weather.
Cumulonimbus clouds:
Low, fluffy, precipitating clouds. Grows on hot days due to warm, wet air rising.
Looks like a huge mountain or tower from a distance. Accompanied by heavy rain, snow, hail, lightning, and/or tornadoes!
Stratocumulus clouds:
Low, patchy, fluffy, gray/white sheets that often resemble a honeycomb-like pattern.
Accompanied by fair, perhaps misty, weather but may indicate a storm is on the way.
Middle Clouds:
Nimbostratus clouds:
Mid-level, precipitating, dark gray sheets covering the sky. Like stratus clouds but are much thicker and are mid-level (may blot out the sun). Accompanied by continuous rain or snow.
Altocumulus clouds:
Mid-level, gray/white fluffy rows of ripples.
Accompanied by fair-weather but may indicate a storm is coming soon.
Altostratus clouds:
Mid-level, gray/blue-gray sheets covering the sky. The sun or moon may shine through but will appear fuzzy.
Similar to nimbostratus clouds but isn't accompanied by continuous rain or snow, although it indicates that in the future.
High Clouds:
Cirrus clouds:
High, delicately thin clouds composed of ice crystals. Shape formed by wind currents.
Indicates a change of weather is on the way (perhaps a warm front incoming).
Cirrocumulus clouds:
High, thin, fluffy puff-like rows composed of ice crystals.
Indicate fair but cold weather (if you live in a tropical region, may indicate a hurricane!).
Cirrostratus clouds:
High, thin sheets of ice crystal that cover the sky. May appear to give the sun or moon a halo when they shine through.
Indicates rain or snow is coming in 12-24 hours.
Special Clouds:
Mammatus clouds:
Pouches that hang underneath the base of another cloud, typically associated with cumulonimbus clouds.
Created when the cold air in a cloud sinks. Indicates severe weather is on its way.
Orographic Clouds:
Clouds that get their shape from colliding with mountains or hills, or the sea breeze when two air masses interact.
May indicate thunderstorms in the future.
Lenticular Clouds:
Clouds that get their shape from hilly terrain or the way air rises over flat terrain. Look like flying saucers.
Kelvin-Helmholtz Clouds:
Look like ocean waves. Occurs when wind interacts with hills or mountains, shaping the clouds.
Contrails:
Only anthropogenic cloud. Caused by water vapor in jet exhausts.
Can provide info about the layers of moisture in the sky.
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always loved them
