Requirement 6 of 12

Cloud Types

Identify low, middle, and upper level clouds and connect them to common weather patterns.

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Checklist

Cloud levels and weather

Be ready to describe clouds at different levels of the atmosphere and what weather they can suggest.

Low, middle, and upper clouds

  • Low clouds include stratus, stratocumulus, and cumulus.
  • Middle clouds include altostratus and altocumulus.
  • Upper clouds include cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus.
  • Some storm clouds such as cumulonimbus can grow vertically through multiple levels.

Low cloud examples

Illustration of a stratus cloud layer
Stratus: a flat, gray layer that often covers much of the sky and can be linked with gloomy or drizzly weather.
Illustration of stratocumulus clouds in rounded patches
Stratocumulus: low, lumpy cloud patches or rolls that often cover large parts of the sky.
Illustration of puffy cumulus clouds
Cumulus: puffy cotton-like clouds that can suggest fair weather when small, but may grow taller if the air becomes unstable.

Weather clues

  • Low gray layered clouds can suggest gloomy or rainy weather.
  • Tall growing clouds can suggest strong showers or thunderstorms.
  • Thin high icy clouds may suggest changing weather is on the way.

Cloud levels and weather locked

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Cloud Types

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