The document describes various types of clouds, including stratocumulus, cumulus, and cirrus, detailing their characteristics and weather implications. It emphasizes identification methods using a cloud wheel, which can help distinguish between different cloud types. The information is presented in a structured manner, highlighting cloud bases and their potential for precipitation.

1. Stratocumulus
Common.Some-
timescovering
thewholesky,
sometimes
morelike
flattened
cumulus.
Cumulus
Smallcumulus
haveacotton
woolshape.
Oftengrow
tobunch
together.
Norain.
Altostratus
Thickerthan
cirrostratus;sun
visibleasdisc.
Noshadows
orhalo.
Altocumulus Brokenintosmall
flatclouds,often regularlyar- ranged.Norain orsnow.
Cirrus
Sometimesdelicate,
hair-likestrands.
Sometimes
thickerblobs.
Cirrostratus
Aveilofthinwhite
cloud.Sunclearly
visiblewith
shadows.Often
withahalo.
Cirrocumulus
Notacommon
type.Some-
timesdappled
orrippled.
Sunvisible.
Nim
bostratus
Thick,darkstratus,
givingrain,which
isoftenheavy
andprolonged.
Diffi
cultto
photo-
graph.
CumulonimbusCumulus grown tall
and dark. Showers
likely. Top canbe very high,sometimesfeathery orflat.
Stratus
Grey, flat and bor-
ing, no sun visi-
ble. Drizzle may
fall. Called hill
fog on high
ground.
LowRainFalling
Low Rain Falling
Low Below 2000m
Low
Below
2000m
LowBelow2000m
Mid-level2000to6000
m
Mid-level2000to6000mHighabove6000m
Highabove6000m
Highabove6000m
MetLink
Cloud Wheel
Cut out along the dotted lines, poke a hole in the centre of both circles and put a paper fastener
through the holes. You are now ready to identify clouds.
Ci
Cc
Cu
As
Ac
Ns
Cb St
Sc
Cs

2. cut out
cut out
MetLink
www.metlink.org
CloudWheel
MetLink
Cloud Wheel
Cut out along the dotted lines, poke a hole in the centre of both circles and put a paper fastener
through the holes. You are now ready to identify clouds.