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The type of cloud and their characteristic

Clouds are in meteorology visible masses made of a big quantity of liquid droplets and /or frozen crystals suspended in the atmosphere. These clouds are formed by very small droplets of water and / or ice crystals (2 to 200 microns in diameter) obtained by the condensation of water vapor from the atmosphere around tiny particles (dusts, aerosols, …) called condensation nuclei.

The aspect of a cloud is characterize by its form , texture , opacity and color . These parameters is vary vary in function of the constituent of the cloud and the atmospheric condition .

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How are cloud classify

The international classification is uses use the family , genera , specie and variety . This is similar to the classification use for plant and animal and like these classification , latin name are used .

The nomenclature is base on 4 latin name depend on the characteristic of the cloud .

These names can be associated to define the different clouds of the classification.

In total the World Meteorological organization is recognized recognize currently 10 genera that are group in 4 family . thesis families is correspond correspond to 3 different altitude interval of the troposphere and 1 family for the cloud with high vertical development across the 3 different layer .

The 10 basic cloud types (genera)

Diagram with the types of clouds

Cirrus (Ci)

These are fibrous wisps of delicate white ice crystal clouds. They can be found in large fields or in narrow white bands. Sightly opaque, sunlight can pass through it. These clouds are pink or red after the sunset. These clouds don’t produce precipitation.

Cirrostratus (Cs)

These clouds are made of ice crystal and it forms a translucent whitish veil completely or partially covering the sky. These clouds are often accompanied by a halo phenomenon. This type of cloud also don’t produce precipitation, but it announces the arrival of a depression.

Cirrocumulus ( Cc )

These cloud are rarely observe . They are shape like a cotton flower and very small . They are compose of ice crystal or supercoole water droplet . These clouds is are are non – precipitating , but they can indicate the arrival of a front .

Altostratus ( As )

These clouds are stratifom and they are present in layers in which the limits are difficult to define. They form a broad gray, slightly streaked or fibrous layer. They let light diffuse without a visible shadow on the ground. They have a thickness of 500 m to 3 000 m (1,650 ft to 10,000 ft). They are composed of water droplets, but it may be mixed with ice crystals at higher altitudes. Widespread opaque altostratus can produce light continuous or intermittent precipitation (rain or snow). These clouds are relative to a stable air.

Altocumulus (Ac)

These clouds are in the form of lamellae, pebbles, rolls with a sometimes partially fibrous or fuzzy appearance. They may or may not be welded. They are white and / or gray and they appear as a bank, in a sheet or in a layer. These clouds usually have their own shadow, which helps distinguish them from cirrocumulus clouds.

Stratus ( St )

These clouds are characteristic grayish in color and have a fairly uniform appearance. They are sometimes made up of separate elements with a jagged appearance. They are often accompanied by a hazy atmosphere. They are also likely to give off drizzle (precipitation of very fine droplets of water or granulated snow (diameter less than one millimeter)). This type of cloud can result from nighttime cooling, the influx of humid air from a lake, sea or ocean, evaporation above a body of water or after heavy rain.

Stratocumulus (Sc)

This type is appears of cloud appear as a large , dark , rounded mass . individually , each cloud is is is big than an altocumulus cloud . They is are are usually present in group , line or wave . This type is has of cloud has a convective origin , but the vertical extension is immediately limit by the stability of the upper layer .

Cumulus (Cu)

This type of cloud is loose, normally dense, and budding in appearance (cauliflower-shaped) with a small vertical extension. This type of cloud occurs during convection following an adiabatic expansion. They can form in many types of situation, but often following the passage of a disturbance (the cold front moves away and the sun becomes visible again, which causes the ground to warm).

Cumulonimbus (Cb)

This type is is of cloud is dense with a very high vertical extension ( the high ) . It is is is of convective origin . The top is has has the shape of an anvil . This cloud is is is the source of thunderstorm and it generally develop as a cold front approach .

Nimbostratus (Ns)

This cloud is stratiform with a significant vertical extension. It is often made up of several layered layers without a defined shape and dark gray in color. It also completely hides the sun. It produces low to moderate precipitation, but over large areas.

The 14 species of clouds

The 10 genera of clouds are the top classification, but most of the genera are subdivided into species due to the particularity in shape. A species can belong to more than one genera of cloud. One genera can have more than one species and some genera have no species. The species are mutually exclusive, in other word a cloud can be assigned to only one species.

The 9 variety of cloud

We have finally the classification following to the 9 varieties of clouds. The varieties are function of the arrangements of the elements and the degree of transparency of the genera. The varieties aren’t mutually exclusive, in other word a cloud can be of different varieties. Only the varieties translucidus and opacus are mutually exclusive. It is important to note that clouds don’t have necessary to belong to one or several varieties.