CLOUD Descriptions
Prefix/Suffix list:
Cirrus – “Curl of Hair”, HIGH
Cumulus – “Heap”
Nimbus – “Violent Rain”
Stratus – “Layer”, LOW
Alto– MIDDLE
I. High Clouds (above 20,000FT) Thin, Ice Crystals
1. Cirrus (Ci) – high, thin, wispy clouds blown by winds
 They form long streamers called “mares’ tails”
 They look like a white feathery patch with a tail
(Associated with fair weather, pleasant weather)
Notes:
2. Cirrostratus (Cs)
 Thin sheetlike, glary white, blue sky between
 Ice crystals in these clouds refract light
 Often produce a halo
 Form a head of an advancing storm
Notes:
3. Cirrocumulus (Cc)
 Small, rounded, white puffs, have rippling appearance
 Occur in individually or long rows w/ blue sky around
 Resemble scales of a fish “mackerel sky”
Notes:
II. Middle Clouds (6,500 to 23,000) Water droplets, some ice
1. Altostratus (As)
 Gray, blue-gray, cover whole sky
 Sun or moon may be seen as a round disk “watery sun”
 Form a head of storm and have continue precipitation
Notes:
2. Altocumulus (Ac)
 Gray, puffy masses rolled out in waves or bands
 “Little Castles” rising air (Large scales or ripples)
 warm, humid morning-thunderstorms in the afternoon
Notes:
III. Low Clouds (below 6500 ft) water droplets
1. Stratocumulus (Sc)
 low, lumpy, appear in rows, patches, or puffy masses
 seen near sunset, dark bottoms with blue around them
 rarely rain or snow
Notes:
2. Nimbostratus (Ns)
 Very dark, covering entire sky
 Poor visibility with light to moderate precipitation
Notes:
3. Stratus (St)
 Fog (not quite reaching ground)
 Little to light precipitation
 any fog is considered a low lying stratus cloud
Notes:
IV. Vertically Developing
1. Cumulus (Cu)
 White random puffs (like floating cotton)
 Rising air forming towers
 Humid day (can be sunny)
Notes:
2. Cumulonimbus (Cb)
 Cumulus that continues growth upward (base to top can
extend up to 39,000 ft)
 Thick w/ flat top (anvil shaped) looks like an explosion
 Storm cloud that can contain all forms of precipitation
(lightning/thunderstorms, tornadoes)
Notes: