Cloudman's Mini Cloud Atlas

The 12 Basic Cloud Classifications

Cumulus Congestus

>25,000 ft (top)
3 - 6,000 ft (base)

Very active separated heaps with flat bottoms and growing towers

Cumulus (Heap) Family

Swelling Cumulus

15 - 25,000 ft (top)
4 - 5,000 ft (base)

Active separated heaps with flat bottoms and bumpy cauliflower tops

Cumulus (Heap) Family

Swelling Cumulus with Pileus (Skullcap)

Cumulus of Fairweather

3 - 5,000 ft (top)
2 - 3,000 ft (base)

Small heaps of clouds with flattish bottoms and rounded tops

Cumulus (Heap) Family

Cirrostratus

> 25,000 ft

High level veil of ice crystal cloud, frequently producing a halo around Sun or Moon

Stratus (Layer) Family

Cirrostratus, 22 1/2 degree Halo with Contrail

Altostratus

15 - 20,000 ft

Thickly layered water droplet cloud. Sun's disk diffused as viewed through sheet of ground glass

Stratus (Layer) Family

Altostratus with Corona

Stratus

0 - (Fog)
1 - 8,000 ft

Low-lying formless cloud, called fog when base lies on the ground

Stratus ( Layer) Family

Stratus, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Cirrocumulus

> 25,000 ft

High level layered cloud with wavelike or fine, dappled cumuliform structure

Heap/Layer Family

Cirrocumulus with Corona

Altocumulus

12 -- 20,000 ft

Mid-level layered cloud with globular structure, sometimes called 'buttermilk sky'

Heap/Layer Family

Stratocumulus

3 - 10,000 ft

Low layered cloud with bumpy, heap-like structure

Heap/Layer Family

Stratocumulus, Orcas Island, Washington

Cirrus

> 25,000 ft

An ice crystal cloud showing filaments of ice crystals precipitating and evaporating

Precipitation Family

Hook Cirrus, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Cumulonimbus

> 25,000 ft (top)
3 - 6,000 ft (base)

A massive pile of cloud penetrating the freezing level and sometimes forming an anvil at the base of the stratosphere

Precipitation Family

Cumulonimbus mass, 35,000 feet over Georgia

Nimbostratus

10 - 25,000 ft

Generally formless dark mass of low storm cloud associated with general continuous rainfall or snowfall

Precipitation Family

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Cloudman's Mini Cloud Atlas

Cumulus Congestus

>25,000 ft (top)
3 - 6,000 ft (base)

Swelling Cumulus

15 - 25,000 ft (top)
4 - 5,000 ft (base)

Cumulus of Fairweather

3 - 5,000 ft (top)
2 - 3,000 ft (base)

Cirrostratus

> 25,000 ft

Altostratus

15 - 20,000 ft

Stratus

0 - (Fog)
1 - 8,000 ft

Cirrocumulus

> 25,000 ft

Altocumulus

12 -- 20,000 ft

Stratocumulus

3 - 10,000 ft

Cirrus

> 25,000 ft

Cumulonimbus

> 25,000 ft (top)
3 - 6,000 ft (base)

Cumulus Congestus >25,000 ft (top) 3 - 6,000 ft (base) Very active separated heaps with flat bottoms and growing towers *Cumulus (Heap) Family*

Swelling Cumulus 15 - 25,000 ft (top) 4 - 5,000 ft (base) Active separated heaps with flat bottoms and bumpy cauliflower tops *Cumulus (Heap) Family*

Cumulus of Fairweather 3 - 5,000 ft (top) 2 - 3,000 ft (base) Small heaps of clouds with flattish bottoms and rounded tops *Cumulus (Heap) Family*

Cirrostratus > 25,000 ft High level veil of ice crystal cloud, frequently producing a halo around Sun or Moon *Stratus (Layer) Family*

Altostratus 15 - 20,000 ft Thickly layered water droplet cloud. Sun's disk diffused as viewed through sheet of ground glass *Stratus (Layer) Family*

Stratus 0 - (Fog) 1 - 8,000 ft Low-lying formless cloud, called fog when base lies on the ground *Stratus ( Layer) Family*

Cirrocumulus > 25,000 ft High level layered cloud with wavelike or fine, dappled cumuliform structure *Heap/Layer Family*

Altocumulus 12 -- 20,000 ft Mid-level layered cloud with globular structure, sometimes called 'buttermilk sky' *Heap/Layer Family*

Stratocumulus 3 - 10,000 ft Low layered cloud with bumpy, heap-like structure *Heap/Layer Family*

Cirrus > 25,000 ft An ice crystal cloud showing filaments of ice crystals precipitating and evaporating *Precipitation Family*

Cumulonimbus > 25,000 ft (top) 3 - 6,000 ft (base) A massive pile of cloud penetrating the freezing level and sometimes forming an anvil at the base of the stratosphere *Precipitation* Family**

Nimbostratus 10 - 25,000 ft Generally formless dark mass of low storm cloud associated with general continuous rainfall or snowfall *Precipitation Family*

Cloudman's Mini Cloud Atlas

Cumulus Congestus

>25,000 ft (top) 3 - 6,000 ft (base)

Swelling Cumulus

15 - 25,000 ft (top) 4 - 5,000 ft (base)

Cumulus of Fairweather

3 - 5,000 ft (top) 2 - 3,000 ft (base)

Cirrostratus

> 25,000 ft

Altostratus

15 - 20,000 ft

Stratus

0 - (Fog) 1 - 8,000 ft

Cirrocumulus

> 25,000 ft

Altocumulus

12 -- 20,000 ft

Stratocumulus

3 - 10,000 ft

Cirrus

> 25,000 ft

Cumulonimbus

> 25,000 ft (top) 3 - 6,000 ft (base)

>25,000 ft (top)
3 - 6,000 ft (base)

15 - 25,000 ft (top)
4 - 5,000 ft (base)

3 - 5,000 ft (top)
2 - 3,000 ft (base)

0 - (Fog)
1 - 8,000 ft

> 25,000 ft (top)
3 - 6,000 ft (base)