Cirrus
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| Cirrus Clouds |
- Found high in the atmosphere – usually over 5,500 metres
- Common throughout the world
- Thin and wispy in appearance
- Move fairly quickly
Stratus
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| Stratus Clouds |
- Low level – below 2000m and sometimes reaching ground.
- Usually grey and colour and move fast.
- Can produce light rain and snow
Cumulonimbus
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| Cumulonimbus Clouds |
- Large clouds up to 10km high and across.
- They resemble giant cauliflower.
- Produce rain, thunder and lightening
- Usually found in spring and summer
Cumulus
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| Cumulus Clouds |
- Fairly low clouds with bottom between 600m and 1200m
- Look like lumps of cotton wool
- Can produce light rain
- Individual clouds have a short life cycle
See the following video on Cloud Types
There are ten main types of which can be split into three categories according to height.
Look at this diagram, you can see the sub divisions of the clouds.
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| Cloud Types |
High clouds are between 5500 and 14000 m above the ground, they are usually composed solely of ice crystals;
- cirrus - white 'filaments
- cirrocumulus - small rippled elements
- cirrostratus - transparent sheet, often with halo
Medium clouds, between 2000m and 7000m are usually composed of water droplets or a mixture of ice crystals and water droplets:
- altocumulus - generally white, layered, rippled elements,
- altostratus - grey thin layer
- nimbostratus - thick layer, dark with possibility of rain or snow
Low clouds below 2000m, usually made up of water droplets;
- stratocumulus - layered series of rounded rolls, generally white;
- stratus - layered uniform grey
- cumulus - 'white cauliflower' clouds with flat base;
- cumulonimbus - large dark towers, often with 'anvil' tops, associated with heavy rain and thunderstorms
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