ENGINEERING HYDROLOGY 251363

Cloud
Classification
PRESENT : THANAPORN SUPRIYASILP
 principles of cloud
classification
genera species varieties

supplymentar accessory mother-

y features cloud cloud

Upper
special atmospheric
cloud clouds
 genera
The classification of clouds has ten main groups, called
genera. Each observed cloud is a member of one, and only
one, genus.

Cirrus (Ci) Altocumulus (Ac)

Stratocumulus (Sc) Cumulus (Cu)

Cirrocumulus (Cc) Altostratus (As)

Stratus (St) Cumulonimbus (Cb)

Cirrostratus (Cs) Nimbostratus (Ns)

 species
Most of the genera are subdivided into species, based on
the shape of the clouds or their internal structure.

(Ci) fibratus (Ci) spissatus (Ac) floccus

(Ci) uncinus (Ac) castellanus (Ac) stratiformis

 species

(St) nebulosus (Cu) humilis (Ac) volutus

(Ac) lenticularis (Cu) mediocris (Cb) calvus

(St) fractus (Cu) congestus (Cb) capillatus

 varieties
Varieties are different arrangements of the visible
elements of clouds and varying degrees of transparency.

(Ci) intortus (Ci) radiatus (Ac) translucidus

(Ci) vertebratus (Cc) lacunosus (Ac) perlucidus

(As) undulatus (Ac) duplicatus (Ac) opacus

 supplymentary features
Clouds sometimes have supplementary features
attached to or partly merged with them.

(Cb) incus (Cb) praecipitatio (Ac) asperitas

(Cb) murus

(Cb) mamma (Cb) arcus (Sc) fluctus

(Cb) cauda

(Ac) virga (Cb) tuba (Ac) cavum

accessory cloud
Clouds may sometimes be accompanied by other usually
smaller clouds, known as accessory clouds, which are
separate from the main cloud body or partly merged with
it.

(Cb) pileus (As) pannus

(Cb) velum (Cb) flumen

 mother-cloud
Clouds may form in clear air. They may also form or grow
from other clouds, called “mother­clouds”.

Depending on the change, one of the following two suffixes

may be used

(a) “Genitus”: A part of a cloud may develop, (b) “Mutatus”: The whole or a large part
and more or less pronounced extensions of a cloud may undergo complete internal
may form. These extensions, whether transformation, changing from one genus
attached to the mother-cloud or not, may into another.
become clouds of a genus that is different
from that of the mother-cloud.
 special cloud
In addition, there are special cases where clouds may form
or grow as a consequence of certain, often localized,
generating factors. These may be either natural, or the
result of human activity.

(Cu) flammagenitus Aircraft condensation trails ((Ci) homogenitus) (St) cataractagenitus

(Cu) homogenitus (Ci) homomutatus (St) silvagenitus

 Upper atmospheric clouds

polar stratospheric clouds noctilucent clouds

Polar stratospheric clouds only occur at very low temperatures, which typically occur in the
polar stratospheric polar vortices that form in winter. They are less common in the Arctic
because of a less stable polar vortex. Polar stratospheric clouds are the only atmospheric
cloud that exists both above and below the ice frost point.
 https://cmu.to/WqcKM

QR code for the various

cloud classifications
are summarized in Table.
 classification
Clouds are classified according to the height of
the base above sea level and their appearance.
 classification
sea level appearance

Low clouds Cirrus

medium clouds Cumulus

high clouds Stratus
Special low clouds Nimbostratus
 classification
sea level high clouds

Clouds are over 6 km

above sea level.

medium clouds

Clouds are between 2

km and 6 km height.

Low clouds

Clouds are between sea

Special low clouds level and 2 km height.

Bases at low cloud level but tops may go upto troppause.

classification Cirrus
appearance

Nimbostratus

Cumulus

Stratus
Descriptions
of clouds

 HIGH CLOUDS
Bases between 6km and the tropopause.
- Cirrus (Ci)
- Cirrostratus (Cs)
- Cirrocumulus (Cc)

HIGH CLOUDS
 HIGH CLOUDS

Cirrus (Ci)
Silvery high clouds, appearing like
feathers or fibres. Being so high up,
they always have a background of
blue sky and, during twilight, often
appear bright red or yellow.
 Cirrostratus (Cs)

Transparent, whitish cloud veil

of fibrous (hair-like) or smooth
appearance, totally or partly
covering the sky, often producing
halo phenomena.

HIGH CLOUDS
 Cirrocumulus (Cc)

A high layer of cloud in the form of small flakes or

cauliflower, white in colour with no dark shadows
in between.

HIGH CLOUDS
 MEDIUM CLOUDS
Bases between 2 and 6 km above sea level

- Altostratus (As)
- Altocumulus (Ac)

MEDIUM CLOUDS
 Altostratus (As)
A thin greyish or bluish veil of cloud through which the sun or moon
appears very dim — as if seen through frosted glass. Altostratus does
not show halo phenomena. Darker patches of shadows may be seen
due to variation in the thickness of the veil.

MEDIUM CLOUDS
 Altocumulus (Ac)
White or grey, or both in colour,
patch, sheet or layer of cloud,
generally with shading, composed
of laminae, rounded masses, rolls,
etc., which are sometimes partly
fibrous or diffuse and which may
or may not be merged.

MEDIUM CLOUDS
 Low CLOUDS
Bases between sea level and 2 km above sea level

Stratus (St)
Stratocumulus (Sc)
Nimbostratus (Ns)
 Stratus (St)

A low, even layer of dark grey cloud, with light and

dark patches. It has a dry look and does not cause
precipitation. It resembles fog.

Stratocumulus (Sc)
Grey or whitish, or both grey
and whitish, patch. The patches
generally align themselves in
regular patterns in one or
two directions.

Nimbostratus (Ns)
Grey cloud layer, often dark,
the appearance of which is
made diffuse by more or less
continuously falling rain or
snow, which in most cases
reaches the ground.
 Special Low Clouds

but tops may
Bases at low cloud level
go upto tropopause.

Cumulus (Cu)
Cumulonimbus (Cb)
Cumulus (Cu)
Brilliant, white, thick clouds
with flat bases and rounded
cauliflower-like tops. The
outline of each such cloud is
very clear-cut. .
Cumulonimbus (Cb)
Mass of heavy, grey cloud
with its base at low cloud
level, having great vertical
extent and its top well in
high cloud level. It has a
threatening appearance and
is called a thundercloud.
Resources
Page
World Meteorological Organization.2017.https://cloudatlas.wmo.int/en/clouds.html

Cloud Classification and Formation.2019.https://knowledgeofsea.com/cloud-

classification-and-formation/
 cloud classification 1
group member
01 rasika chomnan 610610211
02 worada duangjai 610610213
03 araya sakham 610610223
04 KEATIPUN TANA 610610627