1. CLOUDS

2. CLOUDS
Form from the condensation of water vapor on tiny particles in the air.
Classified by their basic shape and associated weather conditions and patterns.
Fog is a cloud that forms at or near ground level.

3. CUMULUS (means heap) Form at medium or low elevation (height).
White,puffy with flat bottoms.
Usually signal fair weather.
When they are darker, they may signal rain or thunderstorms

4. CIRRUS (curl of hair) Clouds that form at high elevations.
Wispy usually consisting of ice crystals.
Signals fair weather, sometimes signals an approaching warm front.

5. STRATUS (layer) Medium or low elevation.
Spread out layer upon layer covering a large area.
As they thicken, precipitation usually occurs over that area.

6. Cloud Combinations A basic shape + a prefix or suffix Ex: Nimbostratus
“Nimbus” means rain. A nimbostratus cloud would be a layered rain cloud.

7. Combinations
Cumulonimbus- (thunderhead) A heaped rain cloud. They appear as part of thunderstorms that may accompany a cold front.

8. Prefix
“Alto” indicates medium level clouds formed at 2-6 km into the atmosphere.
altocumulus altostratus.