Weather Facts: Identifying Clouds and Simple Weather Prediction

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Insects have a tendency to swarm during the pressure drop that precedes rain or a storm. PHOTO:FOTOLIA/ GALYNA ANDRUSHKO

The Hydraulic Cycle: When we want a glass of water, we turn on the kitchen tap quite casually. So casually that we seldom realize our faucet is only one small link in a system that constantly circulated and recirculates precipitation, condensation and evaporated moisture across the face of the earth. Check out the linked image to learn more, or read on to explore some of the effects of that process, including types of clouds and some facts about weather.

Types of Clouds

Cirrus: Very wispy, feathery clouds which form at great heights. Due to this altitude, cirrus are the first clouds to color before sunrise and the last to darken at sunset.

Cumulus: The beautiful, fluffy white puffs that scatter over a fair weather sky.

Stratus: Very low, horizontal, layer clouds that seem dense and thick. Undersides are frequently greyish. If these forms are broken into fragments or shreds, they're called fractostratus. 

Cirrostratus: The clouds veil the sky with the thin, overall whitish haze which produces a halo around the sun or moon. Cirrostratus clouds with wispy, defined edges are often called "mares tails".

Cirrocumulus: These resemble cirrus clouds but are sort of tufted or rippled like sand on a beach. Cirrocumulus are clouds of the "mackerel sky".

Altostratus: Similar to cirrostratus, but more dense. This denseness causes the soft-edged corona around the sun or moon.

Cumulonimbus: With flattened and horizontal bases and tops that pile up to great heights, these "thunderheads" are a fairly sure sign of rain, thunder and lightning. Because of their height, the tops of cumulonimbus clouds can be seen from many miles away, long before their bases are visible.

Altocumulus: One form of altocumulus, called "sheep backs", looks like a layer of cotton balls and a second form has the appearance of long rolls or bands of cotton bunched together. The regular, parallel bands of the second form are easily distinguished from the "mackerel sky" cirrocumulus.

Stratocumulus: These long, flattened puffs are good little cumulus clouds turn into by the end of the day.

Nimbostratus: Ragged scud or rain clouds which form beneath altostratus and lower as the rain begins.