The document defines and describes the 10 major types of clouds, including cirrus, cirrocumulus, cumulonimbus, altocumulus, altostratus, cumulus, stratus, stratocumulus, cirro, and nimbostratus. Each cloud type is given a brief description of its appearance such as thin and wispy, small and puffy, or tall and fluffy. Latin and Greek roots are also provided to explain the meaning behind parts of cloud names.

1. Clouds I wandered lonely as a cloud, That floats on high o'er vales and hills….

3. Cirrus Thin wispy high clouds

4. Cirrocumulus High, small, puffy and patchy

5. Cumulonimbus Tall, fluffy angry looking grey clouds

6. Altocumulus Medium height, small puffy clouds, patchy lines

7. Altostratus Thin and uniform

8. Cumulus Low, puffy and piled up

9. Stratus Uniform, thin to think layered clouds, ill-defined

10. Stratocumulus Broad and flat on the bottom, puffy on top

11. Cirro - given to high altitude clouds- means wisp of hair . Alto - given to mid-altitude clouds- means high . Nimbo (prefix) or nimbus (suffix)- is used for clouds that bring rain. Cumulo - means heap and refer to piles of clouds. Stratus - means l ayer and refers to flat wide layered clouds. Clouds Learn

12. With thanks Clouds All images are Creative Commons- with except of the cloud diagram- source unknown. Front images Patrick Smith Photograph Cloud diagram http://www.es.lancs.ac.uk/hazelrigg/amy/Observation%20Pages/10%20Major%20Cloud%20Types.htm Stratocumulus Nicholas T Stratus clouds Imprint Phortography Cumulus Nicholas T Altostratus Nicholas T Altocumulus Andreas Christen Cumulonimbus A guy with a camera Cirrocumulus Man in a bowler hat Cirrus pyles94 image Flickr user