| Cloud Atlas |
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Recent cloud photos and movies on clouds-online.com:
Cloud families and other cloud
pictures/appearances
In meteorology we divide clouds in 4 clouds families, which are in different heights of the
troposphere: High level clouds (altitudes of 5-13 km), medium
level clouds (2-7 km), low level clouds (0-2 km) and clouds with
large vertical extending (0-13 km).
These clouds families are divided
in 10 cloud genus:
|
High level
clouds at heights of 5-13 km |
|
name |
abbr. |
example |
meaning |
|
Cirrus |
Ci |
 |
Fibrous, threadlike, white
feather clouds of ice crystals, whose form resembles hair curls.
|
|
Cirrostratus |
Cs |
 |
Milky, translucent cloud veil
of ice crystals, which sometimes causes halo appearances around moon and sun.
|
|
Cirrocumulus |
Cc |
 |
Fleecy cloud;
Cloud banks of small, white flakes. |
|
Medium level
clouds at heights of 2-7 km |
|
name |
abbr. |
example |
meaning |
|
Altocumulus |
Ac |
 |
Grey cloud bundles,
sheds or rollers, compound like rough fleecy
cloud, which are often arranged in banks. |
|
Altostratus |
As |
 |
Dense, gray layer
cloud, often evenly and opaquely, which lets the
sun shine through only a little. |
|
Low level
clouds at heights of 0-2 km |
|
name |
abbr. |
example |
meaning |
|
Stratocumulus |
Sc |
 |
Cloud plaices,
rollers or banks compound dark gray layer cloud. |
|
Stratus |
St |
 |
Evenly grey, low
layer cloud, which causes fog or fine
precipitation and is sometimes frazzled. |
|
Clouds with
large vertical extending at heights of 0-13 km |
|
name |
abbr. |
example |
meaning |
|
Cumulus |
Cu |
 |
Heap cloud with flat basis in
the middle or lower level, whose vertical development reminds of the form of
towers, cauliflower or cotton.
|
|
Cumulonimbus |
Cb |
 |
In the middle or
lower level developing thundercloud, which
mostly up-rises into the upper level. |
|
Nimbostratus |
Ns |
 |
Rain cloud. Grey,
dark layer cloud, indistinct outlines. |
|
Other cloud
pictures and appearances |
|
name |
example |
meaning |
|
other cloud photos |
 |
These photos are not assigned to
individual cloud families, because they e.g. show a chaotic sky with
many different cloud types or undefinite photos. |
|
other appearances |
 |
Appearances, which fit into no other
classifications. |
Cloud species, subspecies and special forms
To each cloud family there are
certain species, subspecies and special forms, which are to
describe the appearance of the cloud families nearer. By
clicking on the names you get to the pictures of the clouds,
which are assigned to this species, subspecies or special forms.
|
cloud species |
|
name |
abbr. |
meaning |
cloud families |
|
calvus |
cal |
bald, smoothly |
Cb |
|
capillatus |
cap |
haired, frayed,
fibrously |
Cb |
|
castellanus |
cas |
turrets-like |
Ci, Cc, Ac, Sc |
|
congestus |
con |
huge, towered |
Cu |
|
fibratus |
fib |
fibrously |
Ci, Cs |
|
floccus |
flo |
flaked puffy |
Ci, Cc, Ac |
|
fractus |
fra |
frazzled |
St, Cu |
|
humilis |
hum |
low |
Cu |
|
lenticularis |
len |
lense-shaped,
almond-shaped |
Cc, Ac, Sc |
|
mediocris |
med |
moderately |
Cu |
|
nebulosus |
neb |
fog, veil-like |
Cs, St |
|
spissatus |
spi |
dense |
Ci |
|
stratiformis |
str |
layer wise |
Cc, Ac, Sc |
|
uncinus |
unc |
hooked,
comma-shaped |
Ci |
|
cloud
subspecies |
|
name |
abbr. |
meaning |
cloud families |
|
duplicatus |
du |
double and
multilevel |
Ci, Cs, Ac, As, Sc |
|
intortus |
in |
interlaced |
Ci |
|
lacunosus |
la |
perforated (round
frayed holes) |
Cc, Ac, seldom Sc |
|
opacus |
op |
not shining
through, darkly |
Ac, As, Sc, St |
|
perlucidus |
pe |
transparent (by
small gaps) |
Ac, Sc |
|
radiatus |
ra |
radially, parallel
bands and strips |
Ci, Ac, As, Sc, Cu |
|
translucidus |
tr |
translucently |
Ac, As, Sc, St |
|
undulatus |
un |
wavelike |
Cc, Cs, Ac, As, Sc,
St |
|
vertebratus |
ve |
skeleton-like,
fishbone-like |
Ci |
|
special forms |
|
name |
abbr. |
meaning |
cloud families |
|
arcus |
arc |
with gust collar |
Cb, seldom Cu |
|
incus |
inc |
with anvil |
Cb |
|
mamma |
mam |
sac-like,
wart-like excrescences at the bottom side of the
cloud |
Ci, Cc, Ac, As,
Sc, Cb |
|
pannus |
pan |
with frazzles |
As, Ns, Cu, Cb |
|
pileus |
pil |
with cap |
Cu, Cb |
|
praecipitatio |
pra |
with precipitation |
As, Ns, Sc, St,
Cu, Cb |
|
tuba |
tub |
with funnel cloud
or tornado |
Cb, seldom Cu |
|
velum |
vel |
with veil |
Cu, Cb |
|
virga |
vir |
with drop strips |
Cc, Ac, As, Ns,
Sc, Cu, Cb |
Additionally the development of
a cloud family can be described from other cloud families. If a
new cloud family is developed, the designation of the mother
cloud is attached with a “genitus”. Thus if a Cumulonimbus
develops from a Cumulus, this cloud is designated as
Cumulonimbus cumulogenitus (Cb cugen).
If the new cloud family did not develop yet, but the development
goes there, the designation of the current cloud family is
attached with a “mutatus”. Thus if the development of a Stratus
goes to a Stratocumulus, this cloud is designated as Stratus
stratocumulomutatus (St scmut).
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