Quick Reference
CLOUDS
Glossary | The Atmosphere | Clouds | Wind
Clouds Image (42kB) - Clouds Image (306kB)
NAME |
HEIGHT |
DESCRIPTION |
REMARKS |
| stratus | 0-1500ft | Whitish, grey layer, often covering hills. | May give drizzle. |
| cumulonimbus | 1500-6500ft | Huge towers of heavy dense clouds. The tops are flat, usually spreading. | Often bring showers and thunder. |
| cumulus | 1500-6500ft | Detached dense clouds with sharp outlines and rising domes, mounds or towers. | Associated with sunny weather and scattered showers. |
| stratocumulus | 1500-6500ft | Grey or white rolling patches or sheets. | Bring dull weather, sometimes with drizzle. |
| nimbostratus | 3000-10000ft | Dark grey cloud layer, usually diffused by rain or snow. | Ragged patches of stratus may occur below the layer. |
| altostratus | 3000-10000ft | Flat, thick blue-grey sheet. | Indicates rain or snow if associated with cirrostratus. |
| altocumulus | 6500-23000ft | White or grey rounded clouds, | Usually break up leaving good weather. |
| cirrostratus | 16500-45000ft | A transparent milky veil which can be fibrous or smooth. | Indicates rain later. |
| cirrocumulus | 16500-45000ft | Thin rippled sheets of rounded clouds. | Form on the edge of unsettled weather. |
| cirrus | 16500-45000ft | Fibrous or hairlike clouds with a silky sheen. | An indication of bad weather to follow with strong winds at the cloud level. |
| nacreous | Mother of pearl clouds found very high over mountains, usually lit by sunlight. | ||
| noctilucent | Very high bluish clouds, probably cosmic dust. Normally only seen in high latitudes. |
