Cloud Names & Types ☁️
Cloud Names List ☁️ Cloud Types, Groups & Cloud Formations 🌩️
The cloud names and types in use today date back to a book titled The Modifications of Clouds written in 1802 by amateur meteorologist Luke Howard who used latin words for the main cloud types; cirrus, stratus and cumulus. These were expanded to 10 cloud names and types, called genera which are still in use today, with some extensions by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
- ADDucation’s cloud names List was compiled by A C, last updated 04 Jun 2022.
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Key: CH=High clouds | CM=Medium clouds | CL=Low clouds
| Cloud Names ☁️ | Cloud Level: | Height (ft) | Height (m) | Description of Cloud Types for Cloud Spotters: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cirrus | CH | 20,000+ | 6000+ | Fine, wispy thin clouds made of ice crystals instead of water, which gives them their appearance. |
| Cirrostratus | CH | 20,000+ | 6000+ | Sheet-like clouds made of ice crystals that can cover the entire sky. |
| Cirrocumulus | CH | 20,000+ | 6000+ | Small, white clouds that look like fish scales lined up in a regular pattern, like small ripples. Sometimes called “Mackerel sky” for this reason. Called Schaefchenwolken in German which means “little sheep clouds”. |
| Altocumulus | CM | 6000-20,000 | 2000-6000 | Gray fleecy clouds. |
| Altostratus | CM | 6000-20,000 | 2000-6000 | Thin gray layers of clouds that sometimes bring rain. |
| Nimbostratus | CM | 6000-20,000 | 2000-6000 | Mostly uniformly dark gray clouds with light to moderate precipitation (rain). |
| Stratus | CL | 6500- | 2000- | Gray, low-hanging rain clouds. |
| Cumulus | CL | 6500- | 2000- | Fair-weather clouds, cotton ball shaped with flattish bottoms. |
| Cumulonimbus | CL | 6500- | 2000- | Cumulonimbus can start near the ground but also grow to over 50,000 feet! |
| Stratocumulus | CL | 6500- | 2000- | Common lumpy white to dark gray clouds clumped together as a layer, often accompanied by light rain. |
Prefixes and Suffixes for Cloud Names
Cloud names often include a Latin prefix or suffix. These are the most commonly used with their meaning:
| Cloud Types | Translation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Cirrus | Curl of hair | High up and wispy |
| Cirro | Curl of hair | High up and wispy |
| Cumulus | Heap | Puffy |
| Cumulo | Heap-like | Puffy |
| Nimbus | Rain | Rain-bearing |
| Nimbo | Rain-bearing | Rain-bearing |
| Stratus | Layer | Flat and smooth |
| Strato | Layer-like | Flat and smooth |
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- Please help us improve this ADDucation list of cloud names and cloud types by adding your comments below…
Facinating to see the difference between imperial and Canada and Australia. I was aware of the most of US differences, but not cup sizes.missing from list are the beer barrel sizes, keg, pin, etc. you could add champagne bottle sizes. And note that 640 acres is 1 square mile.