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Cloud Chart

This document describes various types of clouds classified by their appearance and location in the sky. Clouds are grouped into low, middle, and high based on their cloud base heights. Low clouds include stratus and cumulus clouds. Middle clouds contain altocumulus and altostratus. High clouds consist of cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus. Each cloud type is defined by one or two sentences regarding their characteristic appearance or formation.

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mcwoodlands
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223 views

Cloud Chart

This document describes various types of clouds classified by their appearance and location in the sky. Clouds are grouped into low, middle, and high based on their cloud base heights. Low clouds include stratus and cumulus clouds. Middle clouds contain altocumulus and altostratus. High clouds consist of cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus. Each cloud type is defined by one or two sentences regarding their characteristic appearance or formation.

Uploaded by

mcwoodlands
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Wave CIoud

Formed by strong horizontaI


winds over uneven terrain
SheIf CIoud
Represents the Ieading edge
of strong winds in advance
of a thunderstorm
WaII CIoud
Lowering of the rain free
base of a thunderstorm, often
prior to tornado formation
Tornado
RapidIy rotating coIumn
under a cumuIonimbus cIoud
that touches the ground
Mammatus
Drooping underside of
heavy, rain-saturated cIouds
L9: CumuIonimbus
With fibrous top, often
with an anviI
L8: CumuIus & StratocumuIus
Not spreading, bases at
different IeveIs
L7: Stratus Fractus
and/or CumuIus Fractus
occurs with rain or snow
L6: Stratus
In a continuous Iayer
and/or ragged shreds
L5: StratocumuIus
Not from the spreading
and fIattening of cumuIus
L4: StratocumuIus
From the spreading and
fIattening of cumuIus
L3: CumuIonimbus
Tops not fibrous, outIine not
compIeteIy sharp, no anviI
L2:CumuIus
Moderate/strong verticaI
extent, or towering cumuIus
L1: CumuIus
CumuIus of fair weather
with fIattened appearance
M9: AItocumuIus
Chaotic sky, cIoud bases
at severaI IeveIs
M8: AItocumuIus
With cumuIus-Iike tufts
or turrets
M7: AItocumuIus
One or more opaque Iayers,
w/ aItostratus or nimbostratus
M6: AItocumuIus
From the spreading of
cumuIus or cumuIonimbus
M5: AItocumuIus
One or more bands or Iayers,
expanding, thickening
M4: AItocumuIus
Lens-shaped, or continuaIIy
changing shape and size
M3: AItocumuIus
Semi-transparent, one IeveI,
cIoud eIements change sIowIy
M2: AItostratus or
Nimbostratus
Dense enough to hide
the sun or moon
M1: AItostratus
MostIy semi-transparent, sun
or moon may be dimIy visibIe
H9: CirrocumuIus
AIone or with some cirrus
or cirrostratus
H8: Cirrostratus
Not increasing, not
covering the whoIe sky
H7: Cirrostratus
TransIucent, compIeteIy
covering the sky
H6: Cirrostratus
Cirrus bands, increasing,
veiI above 45 eIevation
H5: Cirrostratus
Cirrus bands, increasing,
beIow 45 eIevation
H4: Cirrus
In hooks or fiIaments,
increasing, becoming denser
H3: Cirrus
Often anviI shaped remains
of a cumuIonimbus
H2: Cirrus
Dense, in patches or sheaves,
not increasing, or with tufts
H1: Cirrus
In the form of fiIaments,
strands, or hooks
Low Clouds: cloud bases Up to 6,500 ft (0-2km)
Middle Clouds: cloud bases 6,500 - 23,000ft (2-7km)
High Clouds: cloud bases 16,000 - 50,000ft (5-15km)
Special photo credit thanks to Jim W. Lee, Eric Kurth, Brian Klimowski, and Eric Helgeson
http://www.weather.gov/os/brochures/cIoudchart.pdf
Typical Types: Stratus (St), Stratocumulus (Sc), Cumulus (Cu), Cumulonimbus (Cb)
Typical Types: Altostratus (As), Altocumulus (Ac), Nimbostratus (Ns)
Typical Types: Cirrus (Ci), Cirrostratus (Cs), Cirrocumulus (Cc)
SKY WATCHER CHART

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