Family |
Midlatitude |
Characteristics of |
Cloud Names |
Comments |
|
Elevation of Bases |
Family |
|
|
High |
12 km (36000 ft) |
Ice crystals. "Feathery." |
cirrus |
Fernlike |
|
|
Halo arond sun or moon. |
cirrostratus |
Sheets |
|
|
Jet stream levels. |
cirrocumulus |
Small lumps |
Middle |
6 km (18000 ft) |
Mostly water droplet. |
altostratus |
Thick sheets |
|
|
Bases appear gray and |
altocumulus |
Large lumps |
|
|
block out sun's light. |
|
|
Low |
Sfc to 1 km (3000 ft) |
Water droplet (except |
stratus |
Cloud on the ground |
|
|
nimbostratus, which may |
stratocumulus |
Same as stratus with some vertical growth |
|
|
be stacked above freezing level) |
nimbostratus |
Multiple layers of stratiform clouds |
Vertical |
Sfc to 2 km (6000 ft) |
Water droplets make up |
cumulus |
Width of base greater than height. |
Development |
|
bottom portion (cauliflower |
cumulus congestus |
Height greater than width of base. |
|
|
or whipped cream texture) |
cumulonimbus |
Anvil tops, lightning, rain, hail. |
|
|
and ice crystals make up anvil top. |
|
|