Cloud Identification

1. Cloud Identification

2. High Clouds

3. Cirrus • High • Thin, whispy, feather-like • Made of ice crystals • May have been blown off top of cumulonimbus

4. More Examples of Cirrus Clouds

5. Cirrocumulus • High • Thin but puffy • Often in wave-like patterns • Ice • Sign of turbulant winds • Fast moving

6. More Examples of Cirrocumulus Clouds

7. Middle Altitude Clouds

8. Altocumulus • Middle altitudes • Puffy, patchy • Often in rows to form “cloud streets” • Often occur in advance of a storm

9. More Examples of Altocumulus Clouds

10. Middle altitudes • Light grey • Uniform • Covers most of sky • Water droplets • May indicate changing wind and weather

11. More Examples of Altostratus Clouds

12. Low Altitude Clouds

13. Low • Puffy, fluffy • Looks like cotton balls, cauliflower • Fair-weather clouds • Flat bottoms

14. More Examples of Cumulus Clouds

15. Low • Light or dark grey • Uniform • Covers most of sky • Fog is a stratus cloud

16. More Examples of Stratus Clouds

17. Low but towering • May have anvil shape on top • Storm clouds • May have thunder, hail, lightening or tornadoes

18. More Examples of Cumulonimbus Clouds

19. Some other Cool Cloud Types:Lenticular Clouds • Form at high altitudes and are generally aligned at right angles to the wind. Where stable moist air flows over a mountain or a range of mountains, a series of large-scale standing waves may form on the downwind side. Lenticular clouds sometimes form at the crests of these waves

20. More Lenticular Clouds

21. Still more…..incredible!!

22. Wave Clouds These clouds are formed between two layers of air, with different densities, traveling at different speeds. Therefore, if a warm, less dense layer exists over a layer of colder, denser air, and the wind shear across the two layers is strong enough, eddies will develop along the boundary.

23. Awesome Clouds!! Go forth and seek clouds!!!!