Cloud Types
These fluffy, white clouds often resemble cotton balls and are associated with fair weather.
What are cumulus clouds?
This phenomena occurs when a funnel cloud touches ground, causing destruction.
What is a tornado?
This layer, where weather phenomena occur, is the closest to Earth's surface.
What is the Troposphere?
This term refers to the fraction of the sky covered by clouds when observed from a particular location.
What is cloud cover?
These rolling clouds appear ahead of a thunderstorm and often span the horizon like a low, horizontal tube.
What are roll clouds?
These towering, anvil-shaped clouds associated with thunderstorms.
What are cumulonimbus clouds?
These towering clouds are responsible for thunderstorms and heavy rain.
What are cumulonimbus clouds?
These thin, wispy clouds form at high altitudes and are made mostly of ice crystals.
What are cirrus clouds?
A sky fully covered by clouds and is described as one term.
What is overcast?
These rare cloud formations occur in the stratospher and are linked to ozone depletion due to their chemical reactions with pollutants.
What are polar mesospheric clouds?
These clouds have a fibrous or patchy appearanced and are found at altitudes above 20,000 feet.
What are cirrocumulus clouds?
This weather event happens when warm air rises, cools, and condenses into storm clouds.
What is a thunderstorm?
The atmospheric layer contains the ozone layer, which absorbs UV light.
What is the stratosphere?
This term refers to a sky partially covered by clouds, offering glimpses of blue.
What are polar stratospheric clouds?
These thick layered clouds, often gray in color, are associated with light precipitation and cover large areas.
What are stratocumulus clouds?
This precipitation type forms when snow partially melts and refreezes before hitting ground.
What is sleet?
This layer is located above the mesosphere and can reach temperatures of 2,000 degrees C (3,600 degrees F) and is home to the auroras.
What is the thermosphere?
These low, gray clouds often cover the entire sky and bring overcast weather.
What are stratus clouds?
These luminous clouds form in the mesosphere and are visible during twilight.
What are noctilucent clouds?
These high-altitude clouds are composed of ice crystals and often appear as thin, wispy streaks, signaling a change in weather.
What are cirrostratus clouds?
This phenomenon occurs when clouds begin to dissipate as water vapor converts back into the gas phase due to warming temperatures.
What is cloud evaporation?
This layer protects Earth from meteoroids by burning them as they enter.
What is the mesosphere?
Observers use this eight-part scale to measure the extend of cloud coverage.
These wave-like clouds resemble breaking ocean waves and are caused by atmospheric instability.
What are Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds?