Exam #2

Front 1

NIMBO-stratus

Back 1

A dark, gray wet-looking cloud characterized by more or less CONTINUOUSLY FALLING PRECIPITATION of light or moderate intensity (NEVER HEAVY PRECIPITATION)
Low Cloud

Front 2

Strato-CUMULUS

Back 2

low, lump cloud layer with bases from 3,000 to 5,000 ft. these clouds CONTAIN MORE WATER AND THE CUMULUS PUFFS ARE LARGER THAN ALTOCULUS.
Appears in rows, patches or in reounded masses with blue sky visible between cloud elements.
Color ranges from white to dark gray.
Little or no precipitation expected.
SIZE- eill be larger than the size of the ball of your thumb up to about the size of your balled fist
Low Cloud

Front 3

Stratus

Back 3

Uniform grey stratified layer of low clouds within 2,000 ft to the ground
Only light drizzle or light snow fall from true stratus clouds.
Fog occurs when Stratus clouds touch the ground
Low Cloud

Front 4

Alto-STRATUS

Back 4

Grey to blue gray (never white)
8,000 to 12,000 ft.
Sun may appear as a dull rounded dick with no shadows cast.
forms in advance of storms that produce much widespread and continuous precipitation
AKA-Towering Cumulus
Middle cloud

Front 5

Alto-CUMULUS

Back 5

Gray puffy rounded masses. 8,000 to 12,000 ft up. referred to as 'RISING CASTLES" (castellanus)
middle cloud

Front 6

Cirro-STRATUS

Back 6

thin sheetlike layer of white cirrus. so thin that the sun and moon can be clearly seen through with 'halo' effect. Shadows are cast.
produce solar and luna halos
high cloud

Front 7

Cirro- CUMULUS

Back 7

small cumulus puffs, usually smaller than size of end of thumb. has rippled appearance and can occur individually or in long rows. covers portions of the sky. AKA- 'MACKEREL SKY' since rippled appearance often resembles scales of fish

Front 8

Cirrus

Back 8

Wispy streamers, waves or masses of mostly ice crystals. 20,000 or higher. AKA 'MARES TALES'. Horse tail clouds

Front 9

virga

Back 9

precipitation that may fall from clouds.. but evaporates before it hits the ground.

Front 10

High Clouds

Back 10

At or above 20,000 ft.
always white
temp of clouds are below freezing
-Ci
-Cc
-Cs

Front 11

Middle Clouds

Back 11

6,500 to 20,000 ft
Darker than high clouds
-Ac
-As

Front 12

Low Clouds

Back 12

Surface to 6,500ft
-St
-Sc
-Ns

Front 13

Clouds of Vertical Extent

Back 13

Surface to 70/80,000ft
Relays on how stable atmosphere is
-Cu
-Cb

Front 14

Cumulus

Back 14

Cloud in the form of individual, detached domes or towers that are usually quite dense and well defined. Fair weather clouds that look like cotton puffs.
indicate convection. Bases are generally 5,000 ft or below (Cumulus Humilis)

-Moderate Cumulus
-Towering Cumulus
-Building Cululus
(Cumulus Congestus)

Front 15

Cumulonimbus

Back 15

Large, towering (precipitating) cumulus clouds accompanied by thunder, lightning and rain. Bases 2000ft (tropical) and 10000fr (more arid)

Front 16

LENticularis

Back 16

lens like
-Ac

Front 17

Fractus

Back 17

Broken or Fractured
-St
-Cu
-Ns

Front 18

Humilis

Back 18

of small size
-Cu

Front 19

Congestus

Back 19

To pile up; become congested
-Cu

Front 20

Undulatus

Back 20

Having waves
-Ac

Front 21

Translucidus

Back 21

To shine through
-Cs

Front 22

Mammatus

Back 22

Bag/pouch like; Mammary
-Cb

Front 23

Pileus

Back 23

Cap
-Ac

Front 24

Castellanus

Back 24

Small Castles
-Ac

Front 25

Contrails

Back 25

condensation trails

Front 26

Geostationary Satellites

Back 26

22,500 miles above ground
images of same geographic area continuously

Front 27

Polar Orbiting Satellites

Back 27

532 miles above ground
closely parallel the earth's Meridian lines
They pass over the North and South Polar Regions with each pass