Name↕ | Altitude↕ | Type↕ | Precipitation↕ | Appearance↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cumulus | Low (2,000 m) | Cumulus | Rare (light) | Puffy, white, flat base | Classic fair-weather clouds, look like cotton balls |
Cumulonimbus | Low to high (up to 20,000 m) | Cumulus | Heavy rain, hail, lightning | Towering, anvil-shaped top | Thunderstorm cloud, can produce tornadoes |
Stratus | Low (0-2,000 m) | Stratus | Light drizzle | Gray, uniform sheet | Overcast skies, often blankets entire sky |
Stratocumulus | Low (600-2,000 m) | Stratus | Light rain possible | Lumpy gray rolls or patches | Most common cloud type on Earth, covers ~20% of surface |
Nimbostratus | Low to mid (0-3,000 m) | Stratus | Steady rain or snow | Dark gray, thick layer | Continuous precipitation for hours, blocks all sunlight |
Altostratus | Mid (2,000-6,000 m) | Stratus | Light rain possible | Gray-blue sheet, sun barely visible | Often precedes a warm front and steady rain |
Altocumulus | Mid (2,000-6,000 m) | Cumulus | Rare | White/gray patches or rolls | Mackerel sky pattern, can signal afternoon thunderstorms |
Cirrus | High (5,000-13,000 m) | Cirrus | None (ice crystals) | Thin, wispy, hair-like | Made entirely of ice crystals, indicate fair weather |
Cirrostratus | High (5,000-13,000 m) | Cirrus | None | Thin white veil | Creates halos around sun and moon |
Cirrocumulus | High (5,000-13,000 m) | Cirrus | None | Tiny white puffs in rows | Rippled pattern, sometimes called 'mackerel sky' |
Lenticular | Mid to high (2,000-12,000 m) | Special | None | Lens or saucer-shaped | Form over mountains, often mistaken for UFOs |
Mammatus | Various | Special | Associated with storms | Pouch-like bulges underneath | Hang from cumulonimbus base, dramatic appearance before storms |
Fog (Stratus at ground) | Surface (0 m) | Stratus | Mist/drizzle | Thick ground-level cloud | Reduces visibility below 1 km, common near coasts |
Contrails | High (8,000-12,000 m) | Special | None | Thin white lines | Condensation trails from aircraft engines |
Pileus | Mid to high | Special | None | Smooth cap atop cumulus | Rare cap cloud, forms atop rapidly rising cumulus towers |
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