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Genus Species (can be only one) Varieties (can be more than one) Cloud
humilis
Cumulus
mediocris
radiatus
Classification:
congestus
Low Clouds
fractus
Cumulonimbus calvus
(none)
Clouds are classified using a
(extend through all 3 levels) capillatus Latin “Linnean” system
Stratus
nebulosus
opacus, translucidus, undulatus
based on genera and
fractus species, originally developed
stratiformis translucidus, perlucidus, opacus, by Luke Howard, an amateur
Stratocumulus lenticularis duplicatus, undulatus, radiatus, meteorologist and Quaker in
castellanus lacunosus
1802.
Middle Clouds
stratiformus
lenticularis translucidus, perlucidus, opacus,
Altocumulus duplicatus, undulatus, radiatus, The modern classification
castellanus lacunosus
floccus
scheme is based on
Howard’s system and is
translucidus, perlucidus, opacus,
Altostratus (none)
duplicatus, undulatus, radiatus
detailed in The International
Cloud Atlas, published by the
Nimbostratus
(extend through 1+ levels)
(none) (none) World Meteorological
fibratus
Organization since 1896.
uncinus
intortus, radiatus, vertebratus, In addition to standardizing
Cirrus spissatus
High Clouds
duplicatus
castellanus the genus-species system, the
floccus WMO also classified clouds
stratiformis by altitude and divided the
Cirrocumulus
lenticularis
undulatus, lacunosus troposphere into 3 levels:
castellanus
floccus Low-level Clouds: < 6,500 ft.
fibratus Mid-level Clouds: 6,500 to 23,000 ft.
Cirrostratus duplicatus, undulatus High-level Clouds: 16,500 to 45,000 ft.
nebulosus
Cumulus Clouds Fast Facts:
(“The cloud of choice for 6-yr.-olds”) Typical Altitude: 2,000-3,000 ft.
• humilis are wider than they are tall Composition: Liquid water
• mediocris are as wide as they are tall
Formation: Thermal convection currents
• congestus are taller than they are wide
Similar to cumulus clouds in form and composition, Precipitation: Occasional light rain, snow
stratocumulus clouds are textured and puffy, but Composition: Liquid water
also joined into a semi-continuous layer
Formation: Spreading and joining of
cumulus clouds below a
Stratocumulus clouds usually form from cumulus temperature inversion, wind
turbulence in a stratus layer
or stratus clouds
Altocumulus Clouds Fast Facts:
(“Layers of bread rolls”) Typical Altitude: 6,500-18,000 ft.
Location: Worldwide
Since altocumulus clouds are high in the sky, they are Precipitation: Very occasional light rain
generally above the influence of thermals, and form Composition: Mostly liquid water,
very differently from cumulus and stratocumulus may also contain ice crystals
clouds, who share similar names. Formation: Mid-level atmospheric
disturbances and wave
propagation (from e.g.
–mountatins)
Altostratus Clouds Fast Facts:
(“The boring clouds”) Typical Altitude: 6,500-16,500 ft.
Between 6,500 and 23,000 ft. it’s altostratus Composition: Both liquid water, and ice
crystals
Boring! – but being so high up, they do make for Formation: Usually formed from the
thickening and lowering of
nice sunsets. a cirrostratus cloud on its
way to becoming a
nimbostratus cloud
Altostratus Altocumulus
are composed entirely of ice crystals. Precipitation: None that reaches ground
Location: Worldwide
Cirrocumulus clouds are usually a transitional
Precipitation: None that reaches ground
phase between cirrus and cirrostratus clouds.
Composition: Ice crystals
Large numbers of cirrocumulus clouds may Formation: Cloudlets formed by choppy
indicate poor weather is approaching. winds and high moisture
levels in upper troposphere
Cirrostratus Clouds Fast Facts:
(“Delicate cloud streaks”) Typical Altitude: 20,000-42,000 ft.
cirrus
contrails Kelvin-Helmholtz Wave Clouds
Cumulus