Cloud Chart Photo Descriptions The following tables provide descriptions of the clouds on the Cloud Identification Chart. The order of the descriptions matches the photos on the chart. The families appear here first followed by Accessory Clouds. High Family (above 16,500 ft/5,000 m) Genus species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Cirrus castellanus Cirrus fibratus Cirrus fibratus Cirrus floccus Cirrus spissatus Cirrus uncinus Cirrus – high, white, Cirrus - white, wispy, Cirrus - white, wispy, Cirrus - white, wispy, Cirrus - high, white, Cirrus - white, wispy, with hair like strands. feathery, hair like. feathery, hair like. feathery, hair like. with wispy edges. feathery, hair like. castellanus - castle fibratus – finely fibratus – finely floccus - tufts of spissatus - dense uncinus - white thin like towers. separated filaments. separated filaments. wool.rounded at the lumps that blot out the bands with hooked or top, ragged on the sun usually originating tufted top that is not Castle-like turrets Clouds with uniformly Clouds with uniformly bottom.. from the top of a rounded. rising from a common shaped fibers without shaped fibers without The streamers in this cumulonimbus. base. This cloud type distinctive hooks. They distinctive hooks. They photo are falling ice Sometimes the side Composed of ice is composed of ice are composed of ice are composed of ice crystals. Falling rain or away from the Sun is crystals. crystals and some crystals. crystals. snow that does not gray. super-cooled water reach the ground is Composed of ice droplets. called virga. crystals. Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Cirrrocumulus Cirrocumulus Cirrocumulus Cirrocumulus Cirrostratus fibratus Cirrostratus castellanus floccus lenticularis stratiformis nebulosus Cirro – of the High Cirro – of the High Cirro – of the High Cirro – of the High Cirro – of the High Cirro – of the High (Cirrus) Family. (Cirrus) Family. (Cirrus) Family. (Cirrus) Family. (Cirrus) Family. (Cirrus) Family. cumulus – rounded cumulus – rounded, cumulus – wavy. cumulus – heaps, stratus – a layer cloud. Stratus – a layer cloud. and tufted. heaped. lenticularis – lens or waves, and ripples. fibratus - fibrous arms Nebulosus – a uniform castellanus – castle floccus - Small tufts almond shaped. stratiformis – in a and branches veil with no distinct like towers. and rounded tops with broad layer. Composed of ice details. Small turreted tops or ragged bases. Composed of ice Composed of ice crystals. Composed of ice towers. They are Composed of ice crystals. crystals and super- crystals. composed of super- crystals and super- cooled water. cooled water droplets. cooled water.. Middle Family (6,500 ft to 20,000 ft/2,000 to 6,000 m) Genus species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Altocumulus Altocumulus Altocumulus Altocumulus Altocumulus Altocumulus castellanus floccus lenticularis lenticularis stratiformis stratiformis Altocumulus – high Altocumulus – high Altocumulus – high Altocumulus - high Altocumulus – high Altocumulus – high cumulus. Heaped. cumulus. Rounded. cumulus. Wavy. cumulus. Wavy. cumulus. Lumps. cumulus. Lumps. lenticularis - smooth, lenticularis – distinct stratiformis – the stratiformis – the castellanus – distinct floccus – tufted like lens or almond smooth waves with a cumulus features are cumulus features are towers or turrets rising wool. Rounded tops shaped. lens or almond shape. embedded in a broad embedded in a broad from a common base with ragged bases. Lenticularis are most Composed of water or layer. layer. common and distinct supercooled water Composed of water Composed of water Composed of water or Composed of water or over mountains. droplets. and super-cooled and super-cooled supercooled water super-cooled water Composed of water or water droplets. water droplets. droplets. droplets. super-cooled water droplets. Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Altocumulus Altostratus Altostratus Altostratus Altostratus Nimbostratus stratiformis Altostratus – High Altostratus – High Altostratus – High Altostratus - High Nimbostratus – rain Altocumulus – high stratus. stratus. stratus. stratus. cloud. cumulus. Lumps and waves. An extensive flat layer Sheet cloud with a This dark gray color The dark gray here Nimbostratus is a stratiformis – the cloud with a few few minor is found with most distinguishes this precipitating cloud cumulus features are minor waves or undulations. No Altostratus. The Sun’s Altostratus from with rain, snow, or embedded in a broad ripples. No species species name. disk is diffused by this Cirrostratus. sleet. It often covers layer. name. Composed of water, mid-level cloud. Composed of water, the entire sky Composed of water Composed of water, super-cooled water, Composed of water, supercooled water, producing steady and super-cooled supercooled water, and ice crystals. super-cooled water and ice crystals precipitation. water droplets. and ice crystals depending upon the and ice crystals depending upon the Thunder, lightning, depending upon the temperature. depending upon the temperature. and hail DOES NOT temperature. temperature. occur. Low Family (below 6,500 ft/2,000 m) Genus species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Genus Species Cumulus fractus Cumulus humilis Cumulus Cumulus Stratus (Fog) Stratus fractus mediocris congestus Cumulus – small Cumulus – small Cumulus – Cumulus – heaped Stratus – layer cloud. Stratus – a layer rounded tops. rounded. pronounced rounded with bulges. fog – a cloud that cloud. fractus – fractured humilis – a humble appearance. congestus – distinct forms near the ground. fractus – torn or and torn. cloud form with a mediocris – moderate swelling with a shredded by the wind. flattened shallow development, distinct cauliflower look and Composed of water or Ragged edges. Occur as the first sign appearance. heaps with sharp sharp outlines. Cells super-cooled water of cumulus edges. are taller than wide. droplets. Composed of water or development or when Composed of water or super-cooled water cumulus decay. super-cooled water Composed of water Composed of water or droplets. droplets. droplets. super-cooled water Composed of water or droplets. super-cooled water droplets. Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Genus species Stratus fractus Stratus nebulosus Stratocumulus Stratocumulus Stratocumulus Stratocumulus castellanus lenticularis stratiformis stratiformis Stratus – a layer Stratus – a sheet Stratocumulus – Stratocumulus – Stratocumulus – Stratocumulus – rolls cloud. cloud covering the broad cloud layer with broad cloud layer with lumps and heaps or heaps within a fractus – torn or entire sky. cumulus features wavy appearance. embedded within a broader layer. shredded by the wind. nebulosus – veil embedded. lenticularis – waves broad cloud layer. Stratiformis – broad Ragged edges. appearance with no castellanus – turreted with lens or almond stratiformis – broad cloud field with layer distinct features and castle like appearance shapes. cloud field with layer characteristics. Composed of water or uniform lighting. of cloud columns. characteristics. super-cooled water Composed of water or Composed of water or droplets. Composed of water or Composed of water or super-cooled water Composed of water or super-cooled water super-cooled water super-cooled water droplets. super-cooled water droplets. droplets droplets. droplets. Clouds of Great Accessory Clouds Vertical Arcus (shelf cloud) Development Genus Genus An arch or cloud roll found Cumulonimbus calvus ahead of a cumulonimbus cloud. The shelf cloud in Cumulonimbus are the granddaddy this photo is along the gust of clouds. Their bases are usually front, the outrush of cool in the low levels while their tops air from the cumulonimbus. tower to great heights, often over Warm air is rising over the 40,000 feet. A Cumulonimbus calvus shelf as it advances. forms when a cumulus congestus cloud top begins to show the change from a hard outline to the first signs of softening. The Mamma softening occurs as the top begins to change from droplets Pouches or bulges found to ice crystals. Calvus underneath the cumulonimbus means ‘bald’ in Latin. anvil. Mamma are not dangerous although they are associated Genus Genus with cumulonimbus that may Cumulonimbus capillatus produce severe weather. They are commonly seen after the storm has passed. The coloration is due This stage occurs when more to the lighting on the cloud. This and more of the cloud top turns photo was taken near sunset when to ice crystals giving it ‘hairy’ the sky was turning yellow. look. The flattened top in this photo is a supplementary feature known as the incus, or the Pileus (cap cloud) anvil. Genus species The cap just above this Cumulonimbus capillatus Billowing cumulus congestus is caused by the rapid rising air This is another example of the displacing a layer of moist air aloft. capillatus species. This one The layer condenses into a cloud has advanced to a much more that hangs over the top of the cloud. diffuse top as it turns Sometimes there are several pileus completely to ice. stacked one above another. .