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-atus

Cumulonimbus
H i g h Clouds
20.000 AGt

Aliostratus
Attcx:umulus

Clouds m i h
Vertical
Development

Middle Clouds
6.500 AGL
Low Clouds
Nimbostratus

Stratus
Stratocumulus

Cumulus

W h e n y o u l o o k u p in t h e sky, y o u r e a l i z e t h a t n o t w o c l o u d s l o o k e x a c t l y a l i k e . C l o u d s a r e f o r m e d f r o m w a t e r v a p o r t h a t
c o n d e n s e s t h e n c l u s t e r s t o g e t h e r in d r o p l e t s . T h e r e a r e m a n y d i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f c l o u d s t h a t c a n b e s e e n . T h e t y p e s o f
c l o u d s a r e d e t e r m i n e d b a s e d o n w h a t t h e y l o o k like a n d h o w h i g h t h e y a r e i n t h e a t m o s p h e r e .

High-level Clouds
High-level clouds are f o r m e d
in a l t i t u d e s a b o v e 2 0 , 0 0 0
feet. Because the
t e m p e r a t u r e s are soc o l d at
this e l e v a t i o n , t h e s e c l o u d s
o r e f o r m e d f r o m i c e crystals.
Cirrus c l o u d s a r e thin a n d
wispy clouds that are b l o w n
b y high winds. They usually
m e a n t h e d a y will h a v e fair or
pleasant weather, a n d follow
t h e d i r e c t i o n t h a t t h e air
moves at the altitude they
are found at.

Mid-Level Clouds

Low-Level Clouds

Mid-level clouds are found in

altitudes b e t w e e n 6,500 to
20,000 feet. They are f o r m e d
mainly of w a t e r droplets, but
c a n also b e m a d e u p of ice
crystals w h e n t h e
t e m p e r a t u r e is c o l d e n o u g h .
Altocumulus clouds are
c o m p o s e d of w a t e r droplets
a n d are gray a n d puffy.
These clouds are usually s e e n
on warm and humid summer
mornings a n d o r e usually a
s i g n t h a t t h u n d e r s t o r m s will
follow later int h e d a y .

Cirrostratus c l o u d s a r e like
very thin sheets of clouds t h a t Altostratus clouds a r e m a d e
c o v e r l a r g e p o r t s o f t h e sky.
u p of ice crystals a n d w a t e r
droplets. They c a n c o v e r the
C i r r o c u m u l u s c l o u d s l o o k like e n t i r e sky a n d f o r m b e f o r e
s m a l l r o u n d p u f f s i n t h e sky.
rain storms.
Sometimes they are called
mackerel clouds because
t h e y l o o k similar t o fish s c a l e s .

Super T e a c h e r W o r k s h e e t s

Low-level clouds are found

b e l o w 6,500 feet a n d
although they ore mostly
m o d e u p of w a t e r droplets.
They c a n also b e c o m p o s e d
of ice particles a n d s n o w in
very cold temperatures.

Vertical Clouds
Cumulus a n d cumulonimbus
clouds are both k n o w n as
vertical clouds.

Cumulus clouds a r e also

c a l l e d fair w e a t h e r c l o u d s
a n d l o o k like f l o a t i n g c o t t o n .
They h o v e very flat bases a n d
Stratus c l o u d s a r e a m o n g t h e a r e n o t v e r y tall c l o u d s .
W h e n c u m u l u s c l o u d s a r e first
low-lying clouds. They are
f o r m e d from droplets, they
gray clouds that cover the
h a v e very distinct e d g e s , b u t
e n t i r e sky a n d c a n b e t h e
result o f v e r y t h i c k f o g lifting i n as t h e y m o v e t h r o u g h t h e sky,
air c a u s e s t h e e d g e s t o
the morning.
appear more ragged and
Nimbostratus clouds are dark broken apart.
gray clouds that produce
tolling rain o r snow.
Cumulonimbus clouds c a n
t a k e u p several miles across
t h e sky a n d c a n r e a c h
elevations of 39,000 feet o r
higher b e c a u s e of very strong
updrafts int h e a t m o s p h e r e .
Low level c u m u l o n i m b u s
clouds a r e m a d e u p of w a t e r
droplets, but a t higher
elevations, t h e y consist of ice
crystals.
Cumulonimbus
clouds are the type of clouds
that bring lightning, thunder,
violent tornadoes a n d other
intense w e a t h e r situations.

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2.

W h a t t y p e of clouds a r e c a l l e d "fair w e a t h e r clouds"

a n d l o o k like f l o a t i n g c o t t o n ?

3.

N a m e t w o types of clouds t h a t o r e b e t w e e n 20,000

a n d 6 , 5 0 0 f e e t i nt h e air.

4.

W h i c h t y p e of clouds brings lightning, t h u n d e r ,

and tornadoes?

5.

A r e stratus c l o u d s or cirrus c l o u d s f o u n d closer

to the ground?

6.

W h a t a r e cirrus, cirrostratus, a n d
clouds m o d e of?

7.

W h a t t y p e o f c l o u d is o f t e n f o r m e d b y f o g l i f t i n g
in t h e m o r n i n g ?

8.

W h y are cirrocumulus clouds sometimes called

mackerel clouds?

cirrocumulus

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