Different Kinds Of Clouds And Their Meaning – We often feel amazed to look at the sky and how it changes patterns over day and night. This happens due to the formation of clouds that we see above us. Clouds are collections of small droplets of water or ice crystals that are found suspended in the atmosphere.

There are different types of clouds based on the altitude where they are found and the characteristics they exhibit. If you​​​​ have noticed, the pattern of clouds at higher altitudes is different from that found near sea level. Also, clouds differ from each other based on seasons. Sometimes these differences help us predict a change in weather conditions. They also help to drive the water cycle in nature.

Different Kinds Of Clouds And Their Meaning

The current Latin-based international system for classifying clouds was introduced in 1803 by meteorologist Luc Howard. It was then adapted by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in their International Cloud Atlas which recognizes ten basic cloud ‘genera’; based on the height it forms in the sky and its appearance.

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The ten basic cloud types are – 1. Cirrus (Ci), 2. Cirrostratus (Cs), 3. Cirrocumulus (Cc), 4.Altocumulus (Ac), 5. Altostratus (As), 6. Nimbostratus (Ns), 7. . Cumulus (Cu), 8. Stratus (St), 9. Stratocumulus (Sc), and 10. Cumulonimbus (Cb).

Among the ten basic cloud types, nine are grouped into three levels based on the height they are found in the sky. Hence clouds are called as high level, middle level and low level clouds. The remaining one cloud type is multi-level.

Below are the characteristic features of each of the cloud types based on where they are identified:

These are the upper clouds that are typically thin and white in appearance, but can take on different colors when the sun is low on the horizon at sunrise or sunset. High-level clouds are of three types:

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Cirrus are white, delicate and feathery clouds that streak across the sky and are made of ice crystals. Their transparent nature depends on the separation of ice crystals by wind currents.

These clouds occur during fair weather, but can also be found for large-scale storms such as tropical cyclones and nor’easters. Cirrus are found before sunrise and after sunset and appear as bright yellow or red in color. During the day they appear yellowish near the horizon, and after sunset they become greyish. These clouds appear long before other clouds, and disappear much later as well.

Cirrostratus are transparent, white clouds with a hair-like appearance that cover almost the entire sky like a veil. They can be identified by seeing a halo (a circle or a ring of light) around the sun or moon.

Cirrostratus clouds are often seen in winter because there is a lot of moisture in the upper atmosphere during that period. These clouds are sometimes also associated with approaching warm fronts.

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Cirrocumulus are small, white patches of clouds that look like regularly arranged grains or wrinkles. Cirrocumulus represents the degraded state of cirrus and cirrostratus and will show some characteristics of both.

What kind of weather are they associated with: Fair but cold weather conditions. They can also indicate the approach of a hurricane in tropical regions.

They are found below the clouds at high level and are mainly composed of water droplets. Mid-level clouds are also found to contain ice crystals when the temperature is low. Mid-level clouds are of three types:

Altocumulus are the most common mid-level clouds that can be identified by white or gray circular spots that cover the whole sky with parallel bands. These clouds are made of liquid water, but often do not produce rain. Altocumulus are also known as ‘sheep ridges’ and ‘mackerel skies’ because they resemble the wool of sheep or the scales of mackerel fish.

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What kind of weather they are associated with: They can indicate thunderstorms that arrive later in the day and are also seen before cold fronts that indicate the beginning of winter.

Altostratus are gray or blue-gray clouds that partially or completely cover the entire sky. Altostratus clouds are made of ice crystals and water droplets that are thin enough to let the sun’s rays dimly pass through, but cannot form a shadow in the ground.

These clouds form ahead of a warm or closed front. Altostratus can also occur along with cumulus during cold fronts.

What kind of weather they are associated with: Prepare for a continuous shower of snow or rain.

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Nimbostratus are dark, gray clouds that cover the entire sky. They are spread by falling rain snow and are thick enough to block sunlight.

These clouds are typical rain clouds seen in overcast conditions when solid rain or snow is falling or about to fall.

They are found closest to the earth’s surface and are composed of water droplets. Low-level clouds are mainly of three types:

Cumulus are the symbol of clouds that we use to draw and study in our childhood. They look like fluffy, white cotton balls against the background of a clear blue sky. Cumulus clouds look beautiful at sunset and can be of various shapes and sizes.

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These clouds are formed on clear, sunny days when the sun’s rays reach and heat the earth’s surface. They are therefore commonly called ‘fair weather’ clouds. Cumulus are observed in the late morning hours and disappear by the evening.

Stratus are thin, flat, gray sheets of clouds that cover the entire sky. Stratus rarely produces heavy rain due to its delicate nature, but can appear as fog in mountainous or hilly areas.

They are low, puffy, white or grayish clouds that occur with blue sky in between. When viewed from below, they often look like a honeycomb. Stratocumulus can be imagined when we think of cutting and spreading cumulus clouds unevenly across the sky.

Stratocumulus clouds are mostly found on cloudy days when there is a weak air current in the atmosphere.

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What kind of weather are they associated with: At the moment, beautiful weather, but a storm may be on its way.

These are clouds that are found in low, middle, and sometimes even in high layers and are therefore called multilevel clouds.

Also known as thunder clouds, they are often classified as low level clouds. These clouds are found in all three layers – extending over several kilometers and often reaching high altitudes. Cumulonimbus looks like cumulus clouds from which they grow and assume towering shapes with bulging upper parts. The upper part of these clouds is flat, smooth and fibrous, while the lower part is ragged, hazy and dark.

Cumulonimbus clouds grow on hot days when warm, moist air rises high in the sky, like a mountain or a tower.

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What kind of weather are they associated with: Expect heavy rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning. There is also a chance of a flood. Also watch out for tornadoes.

For the first time in more than 30 years, some new cloud types are being added to the International Cloud Atlas by WMO. They have features that may be somewhat familiar to the clouds studied so far, while others may look somewhat different. Here is a list of these accessory clouds: The 4 main types of clouds are cirrus, cumulus, stratus and nimbus, but they combine to make 10 types of clouds. There are also other types of clouds.

The World Meteorological Organization lists more than 100 different types of clouds in its International Cloud Atlas. But there are three or four main types of cloud genera, which combine to form 10 basic cloud types. Here is an overview of the types of clouds, how to recognize them, and what kind of weather they produce.

Clouds are classified according to the height at which they form, their top height and their shape. The names come from Latin words. Four common types are cumulus, stratus, nimbus and cirrus. Alternatively, clouds get names from their height: high (cirrus or ciro-), middle (alt-), low (stratus, strato-), and multilevel (cumulus, cumulo-, nimbo-). In terms of shape, stratiform describes flattened sheets, cirriform describes wisps or patches, and cumuliform clouds are masses or heaps. Nimbus clouds are the ones that produce precipitation.

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Cumulus clouds are the puffy popcorn shapes you produce when asked to draw clouds. They are puffy with round tops. Cumulus clouds appear white when well lit, but have flat, darker bases.

You see cumulus clouds forming on clear, sunny days as the ground warms. They often appear mid-morning, develop and disappear as the sun sets. They indicate the presence of moisture in the air, but do not necessarily produce rain or snow.

Stratus clouds are flat, uniform, gray clouds. Usually they are gray and look like fog near the horizon, rather than actual fog that is on the ground.

Stratus clouds produce cloudy days. Sometimes they produce mist or a light drip. Altostratus (and altocumulus) clouds sometimes produce virga, which is precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground.

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Nimbus clouds produce precipitation in the form of rain, hail or snow. Both cumulus and stratus clouds can be nimbus clouds, which go by the names cumulonimbus and stratonimbus.

Cumulonimbus clouds are thunderheads that tower from the troposphere to the stratosphere. The cloud top is often flattened into an anvil shape. The bottom of the cloud is dark.

Nimbostratus clouds are less ominous. They are multi-level gray clouds that occasionally produce a downpour or snow flurry.

Cirrus clouds are flat or wispy

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