Lorem ipsum dolorThe cloud classification system
Cloud Classification
A cloud is a visible mass of condensed droplets or frozen crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body. The branch of meteorology in which clouds are studied is nephology.
On Earth the condensing substance is water vapor, which forms small droplets or ice crystals, typically 0.01 mm in diameter. When surrounded by billions of other droplets or crystals they become visible as clouds. Dense deep clouds exhibit a high reflectance (70% to 95%) throughout the visible range of wavelengths: they thus appear white, at least from the top. Cloud droplets tend to scatter light efficiently, so that the intensity of the solar radiation decreases with depth into the cloud, hence the grey or even sometimes dark appearance of the clouds at their base. Thin clouds may appear to have acquired the color of their environment or background, and clouds illuminated by non-white light, such as during sunrise or sunset, may be colored accordingly. In the near-infrared range, however, clouds would appear darker because the water that constitutes the cloud droplets strongly absorbs solar radiation at those wavelengths.
Clouds are divided into two general categories: layered and convective. These are named stratus clouds (or stratiform, the Latin stratus means layer) and cumulus clouds (or cumuliform; cumulus means piled up). These two cloud types are divided into four more groups that distinguish the cloud's altitude. Clouds are classified by the cloud base height not the cloud top. (Full classification explanation on the next page)
MAIN COMPONENTS
| Latin Root | Translation | Example | ||
| cumulus stratus cirrus altum nimbus |
heap layer curl of hair height, upper air rain |
fair weather cumulus altostratus cirrus altocumulus cumulonimbus |
1. GENERA
| Name | Translation | Level in Atmosphere | ||
| cirrus cirrocumulus cirrostratus altocumulus altostratus nimbostratus stratocumulus stratus cumulus cumulonimbus |
curl of hair cirrus and cumulus cirrus and stratus altum and cumulus altum and stratus nimbus and stratus stratus and cumulus layer heap cumulus and nimbus |
high high high middle middle deep low low deep deep |
2. SPECIES
| Latin | Translation | Example | ||
| fibratus uncinus spissatus castelanus floccus stratiformis nebulosus lenticularis fractus humilis mediocris congestus |
possessing filaments hooked to make thick castle tuft of wool layer appearance nebulous lentil to fracture near ground, small medium to heap up |
cirrostratus fibratus cirrus uncinus cirrus spissatus altocumulus castelanus cirrus floccus altocumulus stratiformis stratus nebulosus altocumulus lenticularis cumulus fractus cumulus humilis cumulus mediocris cumulus congestus |
3. VARIETIES
| Name | Translation | ||
| intortus vertebratus undulatus radiatus lacunosus duplicatus translucidus perlucidus opacus |
to twist having vertebrae having waves being radiant having holes double transparent light pass through shadowy, thick |
4. SUPPLEMENTARY FEATURES AND ACCESSORY CLOUDS
| Name | Translation | ||
| incus mamma virga praecipitatio arcus tuba pileus velum pannus |
anvil udder stick a fall bow, arch trumpet cap sail of ship piece of cloth, shred |
Links
Wikipedia.
Glossary of meteorology.