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