Cirrocumulus is one of the three main genus-types of high-altitude tropospheric clouds, the other two being cirrus and cirrostratus. They usually occur at an altitude of 5 to 12 km (16,000 to 39,000 ft). Like lower-altitude cumuliform and stratocumuliform clouds, cirrocumulus signifies convection.

How is a cirrocumulus formed?

They form when turbulent vertical currents meet a cirrus layer, creating the puffy cumulus shape. Cirrocumulus clouds can also form through contrails, the vapour trails left by planes as they fly through a dry upper troposphere. These streaks can spread out and become cirrus, cirrostratus and cirrocumulus.

Where are cirrocumulus clouds found?

Description & Characteristics. Cirrocumulus clouds are thin cloud patches found high in the troposphere and are the only cloud found here that has cloud heap characteristics. Because cirrocumulus clouds are so high in altitude, the cloud heaps take on what can be described as a 'grain of rice' appearance.

What do cirrocumulus clouds indicate?

Cirrocumulus clouds are usually seen in the winter and indicate fair, but cold weather. In tropical regions, they may indicate an approaching hurricane. Altostratus clouds are gray or blue-gray mid level clouds composed of ice crystals and water droplets.

What does cirrocumulus mean in Latin?

The name cirrocumulus stratiformis is derived from Latin, meaning "stretched out". Cirrocumulus stratiformis occurs as very small cirrocumulus clouds that cover a large part of the sky. This type of cloud always occurs in thin layers.

How can to identify a Cirrocumulus cloud

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Why are cirrocumulus clouds sometimes called mackerel?

Cirrocumulus are usually white, but sometimes appear gray. Cirrocumulus clouds are the same size or smaller than the width of your littlest finger when you hold up your hand at arm's length. If these clouds cover a lot of the sky, it is called a "mackerel sky" because the sky looks like the scales of a fish.

What type of cloud is Cirrocumulus?

Cirrocumulus is one of the three main genus-types of high-altitude tropospheric clouds, the other two being cirrus and cirrostratus. They usually occur at an altitude of 5 to 12 km (16,000 to 39,000 ft). Like lower-altitude cumuliform and stratocumuliform clouds, cirrocumulus signifies convection.

What does cirrocumulus look like?

Cirrocumulus clouds are thin, sometimes patchy, sheet-like clouds. They sometimes look like they're full of ripples or are made of small grains. Weather prediction: Fair, but cold. However, if you live in a tropical region, these clouds could be a sign of an approaching hurricane!

Is Cirrocumulus a rain cloud?

The appearance of cirrostratus clouds in wintertime in the middle and northern latitudes, with its typical halo, has long been identified as a precursor to steady rain or snow. Cirrocumulus (Figure 4 shown with altocumulus for comparison) clouds are patchy, finely granulated clouds.

What causes mackerel sky?

This is a result of mid level moisture that happens to be trapped between dry air at the surface and cold dry air filtering in aloft. Wind and gravity come into play to create the rippled pattern in the thin cloud layer. It's referred to as a mackerel sky because it resembles the scale pattern of a mackerel fish.

Do cirrus clouds produce precipitation?

What weather is associated with cirrus clouds? They often form in advance of a warm front, where the air masses meet at high levels, indicating a change in the weather is on the way. Technically these clouds produce precipitation but it never reaches the ground. Instead, it re-evaporates, creating virga clouds.

What kind of weather do cumulonimbus clouds bring?

Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with extreme weather such as heavy torrential downpours, hail storms, lightning and even tornadoes. Individual cumulonimbus cells will usually dissipate within an hour once showers start falling, making for short-lived, heavy rain.

What does cumulonimbus mean in Latin?

Cumulonimbus (from Latin cumulus, "heaped" and nimbus, "rainstorm") is a dense, towering vertical cloud, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents.

What does altocumulus mean in English?

Altocumulus (From Latin Altus, "high", cumulus, "heaped") is a middle-altitude cloud genus that belongs mainly to the stratocumuliform physical category characterized by globular masses or rolls in layers or patches, the individual elements being larger and darker than those of cirrocumulus and smaller than those of ...

How do you say cloud in Korean?

Translation: Cloud in Korean is 구름 (goo-reum).

What is a cirrocumulus cloud for kids?

Cirrocumulus clouds are made up of many puffy cloudlets arranged in lines across the sky, and they form when the wind blows cirrus clouds or airplane trails into a different shape. They don't make rain themselves, but they can be a sign that rain is coming.

Do altostratus clouds rain?

Altostratus clouds are “strato” type clouds (see below) that possess a flat and uniform type texture in the mid levels. ... However, altostratus clouds themselves do not produce significant precipitation at the surface, although sprinkles or occasionally light showers may occur from a thick alto- stratus deck.

How long do cumulonimbus clouds last?

If a cumulonimbus cloud develops into a supercell, it can last several hours or longer. This type of storm often results in lightning, hail, strong and damaging wind, and tornadoes. Often the rain produced by a cumulonimbus cloud only lasts for 20 minutes or less, but the rainfall itself is often very heavy.

What causes Lowclouds?

In a warm front, a warm and a cold air mass meet. The lighter warm air is forced to rise over the cold air mass, leading to cloud formation. The lowering clouds indicate that the front is drawing near, giving a period of rain in the next 12 hours.

How high up are cumulonimbus clouds?

Cumulonimbus clouds are the kings of all clouds, rising from low altitudes to more than 60,000 feet (20,000 meters) above ground level. They grow due to rising air currents called updrafts, with their tops flattening out into an anvil shape.

What does a cumulonimbus cloud look like?

Cumulonimbus clouds are large, tall clouds that are dark on the bottom, bring thunderstorms, have a fuzzy outline toward the upper part of the cloud and may have a flat top called an anvil. Besides thunderstorms, these clouds can bring hail, tornadoes and snow, and they also form during hurricanes.

What is a buttermilk sky?

noun. a cloudy sky resembling the mottled or clabbered appearance of buttermilk.

What do mares tails clouds mean?

As the proverb goes, “Mares' tails and mackerel scales make lofty ships to carry low sails.” Together, wispy cirrus clouds resembling horse tails and patchy cirrocumulus signal that a rain storm is on its way.