Clouds

Types of Clouds





common cloud classifications
Clouds are classified into a system that uses Latin words to describe the appearance of clouds as seen by an observer on the ground. The table below summarizes the four principal components of this classification system.

Latin Root		Translation		Example
cumulus stratus cirrus nimbus		heap layer curl of hair rain		fair weather cumulus altostratus cirrus cumulonimbus

Further classification identifies clouds by height of cloud base. For example, cloud names containing the prefix "cirr-", as in cirrus clouds, are located at high levels while cloud names with the prefix "alto-", as in altostratus, are found at middle levels. This module introduces several cloud groups. The first three groups are identified based upon their height above the ground. The fourth group consists of vertically developed clouds, while the final group consists of a collection of miscellaneous cloud types.

Classifications

High-Level Clouds Cloud types include:  cirrus and cirrostratus Mid-Level Clouds Cloud types include: altocumulus, altostratus. Low-Level Clouds Cloud types include: nimbostratus and stratocumulus. Clouds with Vertical Development Cloud types include: fair weather cumulus and cumulonimbus. Other Cloud Types Cloud types include: contrails, billow clouds, mammatus, orographic and pileus clouds. Contrails condensation trails A contrail, also known as a condensation trail, is a cirrus-like trail of condensed water vapor often resembling the tail of a kite. Contrails are produced at high altitudes where extremely cold temperatures freeze water droplets in a matter of seconds before they can evaporate. Billow Clouds produced by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability Billow clouds are created from instability associated with air flows having marked vertical shear and weak thermal stratification. The common name for this instability is Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. These instabilities are often visualized as a row of horizontal eddies aligned within this layer of vertical shear. Mammatus Clouds sagging pouch-like structures Mammatus are pouch-like cloud structures and a rare example of clouds in sinking air. Orographic Clouds forced by the earth's topography Orographic clouds are clouds that develop in response to the forced lifting of air by the earth's topography   Pileus Clouds smooth capping clouds Pileus (Latin for "skullcap") is a smooth cloud found attached to either a mountain top or growing cumulus tower.

 Source : Internet