Oh~different kinds of clouds~

  I have been in the UK for almost 20 days, and have a deep impression on the changeable weather. Perhaps the moment it’s raining, after a second it’s sunny. Maybe there are some exaggerations, but it is a fact that the weather changes a lot in the UK.

I love to observe the varied clouds, and due to my major, sometimes I like to distinguish which kind of cloud it is. To me, clouds identification is difficult, however, really interesting.

Generally speaking, we classifies the clouds into three different cloud etages according to the cloud’s height: the high cloud, the medium cloud, the low cloud. And then classifies them into ten different cloud genera basing on the shapes of clouds and the different forming processes.

High level clouds

1.Ci (Cirrus)
   meaning: Fibrous, threadlike, white feather clouds of ice crystals, whose form resembles hair curls.
   example:

2.Cs(Cirrostratus)
   meaning: Milky, translucent cloud veil of ice crystals, which sometimes causes halo appearances around moon and sun.
   example:

3.Cc(Cirrocumulus)
   meaning: Fleecy cloud; Cloud banks of small, white flakes.
   example:

Medium level clouds

4.Ac(Altocumulus)
   meaning: Grey cloud bundles, sheds or rollers, compound like rough fleecy cloud, which are often arranged in banks.  
   example:

5.As(Altostratus)
   meaning: Dense, gray layer cloud, often evenly and opaquely, which lets the sun shine through only a little.
   example:

Low level clouds

6.Sc(Stratocumulus)
   meaning: Cloud plaices, rollers or banks compound dark gray layer cloud.
   example:

7.St(Stratus)
   meaning: Evenly grey, low layer cloud, which causes fog or fine precipitation and is sometimes frazzled.
   example:

8.Cu(Cumulus)
   meaning: Heap cloud with flat basis in the middle or lower level, whose vertical development reminds of the form of towers, cauliflower or cotton.
   example:

9.Cb(Cumulonimbus)
   meaning: In the middle or lower level developing thundercloud, which mostly up-rises into the upper level.
   example:

10.Ns(Nimbostratus)
   meaning: Rain cloud. Grey, dark layer cloud, indistinct outlines.
   example:

Summary

  This is just a brief introduction to the classification of the clouds, there are even more detailed and complex classification. In addition, different cloud indicates different weather, beacause that some clouds' shape are very similar, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish. I find a few photos and try to distinguish them, of course, the conclusion is only my personal opinion.

  This photo was taken in Haworth.I think that the cloud in the middle of the photo belongs to the Cu, maybe is called Cu hum or FC. It predicts the nice but maybe windy weather, just like what the photo shows.

  It is very familiar.In the UK,I have saw the clouds sunch as this for many times.It maybe belong to the AS.Because of the sun missing, we call it AS op. It predicts the bad weather, maybe rainy and so on.

   I'm sorry to find it so difficult to explain clear, just because I don't understand a lot.But it is interesting to distinguish the diffrent kinds of clouds, and if you learn well, it may be helpful~