Cloud Identification Flashcards
Citrus Fibratus
Nearly straight and do not terminate in hooks or tufts
Cirrus uncinus
curly hooks
Cirrus spissatus
Often originates from the upper part of a cumulonimbus. Dense enough to appear greyish towards the sun and may block it out
Cirrus castellanus
Turrets usually rising from a connected base
Cirrus floccus
Small tuft, little bit ragged, usually accompanied by virga
Cirrocumulus stratiformis
Extensive horizontal sheet or layer spread out
Cirrostratus nebulosus
Not many details, veil like structure, can usually see a corona around sun when looking up
Cirrocumulus lenticularis
Lens or almond shape, usually orographically driven
Cumulonimbus with cirrus capillatus
Anvil cloud
Cirrus intortus
Intortus means twisted
cirrus vertebratus
Exclusive to cirrus cloud.
Shaped like a fish spine or ribs
Cirrocumulus undulatus
Rippled wavy pattern
Cirrostratus undulatus
Larger coverage of wavy pattern
Cirrus radiatus
Covers entire sky and appears to be converging at one point
Cirrocumulus lacunosus
Latin meaning full of hollows
Cirrus duplicatus
Cirrus fibratus mamma
Udder like protuberances
Cirrus fluctus
Kelvin Helmholtz clouds
Cirrocumulus cavum
Aka fallstreak hole
Cirrocumulus Supercilium
Altocumulus
Altocumulus castellanus
Multiple turrets from same base
Altocumulus lenticularis
Altocumulus stratiformis
Altocumulus cumulogenitus
Cannot lift any higher so they spread out at tops, false anvil
Altocumulus floccus
Altocumulus translucidus
Part of the stratiformis/ lenticularis species
Altocumulus duplicatus undulatus
Altocumulus fractus
Altocumulus volutus
Altocumulus radiatus
Altocumulus lacunosus
Altocumulus opacus
Altocumulus undulatus asperitas
Altocumulus fluctus
Altostratus
Altostratus undulatus
Altostratus translucidus
Nimbostratus
Stratocumulus
Stratus
Cumulus
Cumulus fractus
Cumulus humilis
Flattened shape
Cumulus mediocris
Moderate vertical extent, small protuberances at top
Cumulus congestus
Cauliflower looking
Stratocumulus volutus
(cumulus) volutus
Aka morning glory
Stratocumulus radiatus
Lines appearing to go to one point in horizon
Cumulus fluctus
Aka Kelvin-Helmholtz clouds
Short lived
Cumulonimbus calvus
Not yet precipitating and losing partial cauliflower appearance
Cumulonimbus capillatus
Known by its anvil shape
Mammatus cloud
Virga
Rain that doesn’t reach ground
Arcus
Murus
Aka wall cloud typically under rain-free base
Cauda aka tail cloud
Pileus cloud aka cap cloud
Velum
Piercing cloud of horizontal extent
Veil-like usually connecting several clouds
Pannus clouds
Aka scuds
Flumen
Beaver tail cloud at inflow base of cb
Pyrocumulonimbus
aka flammagenitus
Homogenitus
Human made clouds
Cataractagenitus
Clouds made from waterfalls
Silvagenitus
Clouds over forested areas due to evaporation from tree canopy
Nacreous clouds
Aka mother of pearl, happen mostly over polar regions
Noctilucent clouds
Only happens in summer. Located in the mesosphere
Advection fog
Warm moist air moves over cold ground surface
Radiation fog (ground/valley fog)
Forms when all solar energy has exited the ground and allows temp to meet dew point. Usually happens when it rained the previous night.
Upslope fog
Cooled adiabatically
Forms when warm moist air is pushed up mountain side and reaches dew point
Steam fog
occurs when evaporation takes place into cold air lying over warmer water. It is usually quite shallow. Steam Fog should not be confused with Advection Fog which is formed in warm moist air over a cold surface.
Frontal fog
Usually occurs ahead of warm fronts
Ice fog
Usually occurs In extreme cold temps
