User:Zeimusu/list of clouds

Clouds form when the dewpoint of water is reached in the presence of condensation nuclei in the troposphere. Atmosphere is a dynamic system, and the local conditions of turbulence, uplift and other parameters give rise to many types of clouds. Various types of clouds occur frequently enough to have acquired a name of their own.

Clouds were classified by Luke Howard, a British manufacturing chemist and an amateur meteorologist with broad interests in science, in an 1802 presentation to the Askesian Society. Following Linnaean principals. Clouds are grouped into nine genera, and within each genera there are a number of species. Each species may have several variants of cloud types. A cloud may only be in one genus and one species, but may be classified under more than one variant. Cloud naming is controlled by the World Meteorlogical Organization. Some atmospheric processes can make the clouds organize in distinct patterns such as 'wave cloud' or 'actinoform cloud', these are large scale structures and not always readily identifiable from single point of view.

High-level clouds

Genus Cirrus

Abbreviation: Ci

Cirrus clouds form above 7000 metres (about 23,000 feet), in the cold region of the troposphere. They are denoted by the prefix cirro- or cirrus. At this altitude water almost always freezes so clouds are composed of ice crystals. The clouds tend to be wispy, and are often transparent. Isolated cirrus clouds do not bring precipitation, however, large amounts of cirrus clouds can indicate an approaching storm system.

There are several species of cirrus cloud:

cirrus fibratus

These clouds are long, fibrous, and curved, with no tufts or curls at the ends.

cirrus floccus

Cirrus with elements which take on a rounded appearance on the top, with the lower part appearing ragged.

cirrus spissatus

Cirrus thick enough to appear greyish when looking in the direction of the sun. Often formed from the anvil of cumulonimbus storms.

cirrus uncinus

Hook or comma shaped clouds with an initial tuft followed by a long streak of falling ice crystals. These are cirrus clouds having the traditional "mare's tail" appearance.

Cirrus clouds can have several varieties.

castellanus

A series of dense lumps, or "castles" of cirrus, connected by a thinner base.

duplicatus

Sheets of cirrus at different layers of the atmosphere, which may be connected at one or more points.

cirrus radiatus

Large area of cirrus displaying horizontal banding.

intortus

Cirrus clouds whose filaments are irregularly curved or tangled.

Supplementary features that can be associated with cirrus clouds are.

Kelvin-Helmholtz waves

cirrus vertebratus

Cirrus in curved horizontal strips; cirrus with a "rib cage" appearance.

cirrus with mammatus

Cirrus with bubble-like protrusions on the underside.

Contrail

Aircraft engines emit water vapor into the atmosphere, and this vapor is then frozen into ice crystals. These are known as condensation trails (contrails) or cirrus aviaticus.

Medium-level clouds

Altostratus

Abbreviation: As

Altostratus clouds form when a large lifted air mass is condensed, usually from a frontal system, and can bring rain or snow.

Altocumulus

Abbreviation: Ac

Altocumulus clouds are not usually associated with a front but can still bring precipitation.

Low-level clouds

Stratocumulus

Abbreviation: Sc

Stratocumulus clouds are lumpy, layered clouds often following a cold front, and they can produce rain or drizzle.

stratocumulus castellanus

Layer of stratocumulus clouds with tower-like formation protruding upwards.

Stratocumulus with bubble-like protrusions on the underside.

stratocumulus opacus

Stratocumulus clouds covering entire sky without break.

stratocumulus perlucidus

Stratocumulus clouds covering entire sky, but having a few small breaks.

stratocumulus praecipitatio

Stratocumulus clouds which precipitation reaches ground.

stratocumulus radiatus

Stratocumulus clouds arranged in parallel waves

stratocumulus translucidus

Separate masses of stratocumulus clouds with large breaks inbetween.

stratocumulus undulatus

Stratus

Abbreviation: St

Stratus clouds are horizontal layer like clouds having a uniform base,which is associated with widespread precipitation or ocean air, and often produce is drizzle.

stratus fractus

Ragged shreds of stratus clouds.

fractonimbus

Dark ragged clouds under base of precipitation clouds.

Uniform fog-like low clouds.

Nimbostratus

Abbreviation: Ns

Nimbostratus clouds tend to bring constant precipitation and low visibility.

Cumulus

Abbreviation: Cu

Cumulus clouds are sometimes called fair weather clouds but can grow into more storm-condition clouds (cumulonimbus, for example), and continued upward growth suggests showers later in the day.

arcus (including roll and shelf clouds)

Low, horizontal cloud formation associated with the leading edge of thunderstorm outflow.

cumulus congestus

Tall and large cumulus clouds

cumulus fractus

Ragged shreds of cumulus clouds.

cumulus humilis

"Fair weather clouds" that are wider than taller

cumulus mediocris

Cumulus clouds slightly taller than cumulus humilis

cumulus castellanus

Cumulus clouds with tall tower-like formations protruding upwards.

cumulus praecipitatio

Cumulus clouds which precipitation reaches ground

cumulus radiatus

Cumulus clouds arranged in parallel lines

orographic

Clouds formed by air rising at windward slopes of hills and mountains.

pannus

Mass of fractus clouds below cumulus cloud.

pileus

Small cap-like cloud over parent cumulonimbus cloud

tuba

Column hanging from the bottom of cumulus

velum

Sail-shaped clouds

Vertically developed clouds

Cumulonimbus

Abbreviation: Cb

Cumulonimbus is the cloud of storms and rain or showers.

capillatus

Cumulonimbus cloud with cirriform top.

calvus

Cumulonimbus with puffy rounded top.

incus

Cumulonimbus with flat anvil-like top

pileus

Small cap-like cloud over parent cumulonimbus cloud

Cumulonimbus with bubble-like protrusions on the underside.

arcus (including roll and shelf clouds)

Low, horizontal cloud formation associated with the leading edge of thunderstorm outflow.

Cumulonimbus clouds which precipitation reaches ground

tuba

Column hanging from the bottom of cumulonimbus cloud

velum
pannus

Mass of fractus clouds below cumulonimbus cloud.

Hot tower

Is a tropical cumulonimbus cloud that penetrates the tropopause.

Other clouds

Nacreous cloud (mother of pearl)

A thin cloud seen most often between sunset and sunrise and is between 12 to 18 miles (19 to 29 km) high

Noctilucent cloud

A thin cloud seen most often between sunset and sunrise and is between 32 to 35 miles (51 to 56 km) high

The meaning of cloud names

Main cloud components

Alto – high
Cirrus – lock of hair
Cumulus – heap
Nimbus – precipitation-bearing (Latin for "raincloud")
Stratus – layer (Latin for "spread out")

Main cloud types

Altocumulus – altus and cumulus – high heap
Altostratus – altus and stratus – high layer
Cirrocumulus – cirrus and cumulus – lock of hair and heap
Cirrostratus – cirrus and stratus – lock of hair and layer
Cirrus – lock of hair
Cumulonimbus – cumulus and nimbus – rain-bearing heap
Cumulus – heap
Nimbostratus - nimbus and stratus - rain-bearing layer
Stratocumulus - stratus and cumulus - layer and heap
Stratus - layer

Main sub-cloud types

Castellanus – castle-like with a series of turret shapes – indicates lateral decrease and vertical increase in movement.
Congestus – moderate development and heaped into cauliflower shapes – indicates moist ground and upcurrent.
Fibratus – thin filament type clouds, can be straight or slightly curved
Floccus – looking like a tuft of wool, small congestus – indicates dry air
Fractus – irregular shredded appearance – indicates usually gusts
Humilis – small, low, flattened cumulus – indicates relatively dry ground
Lenticular cloud – having a lens-like appearance – formed by standing waves of wind passing mountains or hills
Mediocris – medium size cumulus with small bulges at the top – indicates moderate updrafts
Nebulosus – indistinct cloud without features – indicates stable wind if any and static air layers
Spissatus – thick cirrus with a grey appearance – indicates upper troposphere vertical movement
Stratiformis – horizontal cloud sheet – rains
Uncinus – cirrus with a hook shape at the top – indicates a nearby backside
Uniformis – no notable difference in shapes of clouds used with cumulus – indicates stable wind (if any) and static air layers

Other cloud types

Arcus – arch or a bow – mostly attached to cumulus, thick with ragged edges
Cumulogenitus – formed by the spreading out of cumulus clouds
Cumulonimbogenitus – formed by the spreading out of cumulonimbus clouds
Duplicatus – double – partly merged layers of cloud
Incus – anvil – top part of Cb cloud, anvil shaped
Intortus – twisted – curved and tangled cirrus
Mammatus – breast cloud – round pouches on surface of cloud
Lacunosus – full of holes – thin cloud distinguished by holes and ragged edges
Opacus – thick and shadowy – an opaque sheet of cloud
Pannus – shredded cloth – shredded sections attached to main cloud
Perlucidus – translucent – sheet of cloud with small spaces among itself
Pileus – capped – hood shaped cumulus type cloud
Praecipitatio – falling – cloud whose precipitation reaches the ground
Punch hole cloud - the layer of cirrocumulus that develops a perfect circular hole.
Pyrocumulus - generated by quickly generated ground heat; including forest fires, volcanic eruptions and low level nuclear detonation
Radiatus – radiant – parallel lines converging at a central point, often cirrus
Tuba – like a trumpet – column hanging from the bottom of cumulus
Translucidus – transparent – translucent patch or sheet
Undulatus – wavy – cloud displaying an undulating pattern
Velum – a ship’s sail – sail-like in appearance
Vertebratus – skeletal and bone like – cirrus arranged to look like bones or skeleton or calcium.

Storm Clouds

Clouds associated with the development and duration of storms:

Accessory cloud – cloud that is attached to and develops on body of main cloud
Anvil – the top flatter part of a cumulonimbus cloud
Anvil dome – the overshooting top on a Cb that is often present on a supercell
Anvil rollover – (slang) circular protrusion attached to underside of anvil
Arcus cloud – arch or a bow shape, attached to cumulus, thick with ragged edges
Backsheared anvil – (slang) anvil that spreads upwind, indicative of extreme weather
Clear slot (or dry slot) - an evaporation of clouds as a rear flank downdraft descends and dries out cloud and occludes around a mesocyclone
Cloud tags – ragged detached portions of cloud
Collar cloud – rare ring shape surrounding upper part of wall cloud
Condensation funnel - the cloud of a funnel cloud aloft or a tornado
Cumulus – heaped clouds
Cumulus congestus – moderate development and heaped into cauliflower shapes
Cumulus fractus – ragged detached portions of cumulus cloud
Cumulus humilis - small, low, flattened cumulus, early development
Cumulus mediocris - medium-sized cumulus with small bulges at the top
Cumulus pannus - shredded sections attached to main cumulus cloud
Cumulus pileus - capped – hood shaped cumulus cloud
Cumulus praecipitatio - cumulus whose precipitation reaches the ground
Cumulus radiatus – cumulus arranged in parallel lines
Cumulus tuba - column hanging from the bottom of cumulus
Cumulus velum - cumulus displaying an undulating pattern
Cumulonimbus – heaped towering rain-bearing clouds that stretch to the upper levels
Cumulonimbus calvus – cumulonimbus whose upper parts have lost their shape
Cumulonimbus capillatus - Cb whose upper parts have taken on a cirrus-like form
Cumulonimbus incus – Cb with anvil aloft
Cumulonimbus mammutus - pouch-like protrusions that hang from under an anvil
Cumulonimbus pannus - shredded sections attached to main Cb cloud
Cumulonimbus pileus - capped – hood shaped cumulonimbus cloud
Cumulonimbus praecipitatio - Cb whose precipitation reaches the ground
Cumulonimbus spissatus - cumulonimbus with a thick grey appearance
Cumulonimbus tuba - column hanging from the bottom of cumulonimbus
Cumulonimbus velum - cumulonimbus displaying an undulating pattern
Debris cloud – rotating ‘cloud’ of debris found at base of tornado
Hail fog - a shallow surface layer of fog that sometimes forms in vicinity of deep hail accumulation, can be very dense
Inflow band - a laminar band marking inflow to a Cb, can occur at lower or mid levels of tower
Inverted cumulus - cumulus which has transferred momentum from an exceptionally intense Cb tower and is convectively growing on the underside of an anvil
Fractonimbus - dark ragged clouds under base of precipitation cloud.
Funnel cloud – rotating funnel of cloud hanging from under Cb, not making contact with ground
Knuckles – lumpy protrusion that hangs from edge or underside of anvil
Roll cloud – elongated, low-level, tube shaped, horizontal cloud
Rope – (slang) narrow, sometimes twisted funnel type cloud seen after tornado dissipates
Rope cloud – A very narrow, long, sometimes meandering, cumulus cloud formation that is frequently visible in satellite imagery
Scud cloud – ragged detached portions of cloud
Shelf cloud – wedge shaped cloud often attached to the underside of Cb
Stratus fractus – ragged detached portions of stratus cloud
Striations - a groove or band of clouds encircling an updraft tower, indicative of rotation
Tail cloud - an area of condensation consisting of laminar band and cloud tags extending from a wall cloud towards a precipitation core
Towering cumulus (TCu) - a large cumulus cloud with great vertical development, usually with a cauliflower-like appearance, but lacking the characteristic anvil of a Cb
Wall cloud – distinctive fairly large lowering of the rain free base of a Cb, often rotating

Earthquake cloud

External links

File:Cloud poster.png

A chart showing the various cloud types at their altitudes, not to scale.