Introduction to cloud types

  • Clouds are comprised of liquid droplets of various sizes and/or ice crystals
  • They are characterized according to their height location in the atmosphere and their vertical development:
    • High clouds
    • Middle clouds
    • Low clouds
    • Vertically developed clouds
High Clouds:
  • cirrus (Ci)
  • cirrostratus (Cs)
  • cirrocumulus (Cc
 Low Clouds:
  • Stratus (St)
  • Stratocumulus (Sc)
  • Nimbostratus (Ns)
Middle Clouds
  • Altostratus (As)
  • Altocumulus (Ac)
 Clouds with vertical development:
  • Cumulus (Cu)
  • Cumulonimbus (Cb)

NOTE: cloud names come from latin words:

  • cirrus - curl
  • stratus - layer
  • cumulus - heap
  • nimbus - violent rain