#meteorology #earthscience 

| **Altitude**                    | **Cloud Type**                                                                            | **Symbol**         | **Features**                                                                                                                        |
| ------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Extremely high                  | Polar mesospheric clouds or noctilucent veils                                             | PMC                | Night-shining clouds                                                                                                                |
| Very high                       | Nitric acid and water polar stratospheric clouds                                          | PSC                | Iridescent, most visible at twilight                                                                                                |
| High (7-13 km high)             | Cirrostratus  (перисто-слоистые)<br>Cirrus  (перистые)<br>Cirrocumulus  (перисто-кучевые) | Cs  <br>Ci  <br>Cc | Thin veil  <br>Delicate wisps  <br>Pure white rounded masses or ripples                                                             |
| Mid (2-7 km high)               | Altostratus  (высокослоистые)<br>Altocumulus (высококучевые)                              | As  <br>Ac         | Opaque or translucent gray clouds  <br>Irregular patches or sheets in groups or waves                                               |
| Low (up to 2 km high)           | Stratus (слоистые)  <br>Stratocumulus  (слоисто-кучевые)<br>Cumulus (кучевые)             | St  <br>Sc  <br>Cu | Flat or ragged clouds resembling fog  <br>Irregular patches or sheets shading to gray  <br>Detached clouds with flat bases and tops |
| Multi-level (up to 7 km high)   | Nimbostratus (слоисто-дождевые)                                                           | Ns                 | Dark gray multi-layers that appear lit from within that produce precipitation                                                       |
| Towering vertical (up to 13 km) | Cumulonimbus (кучево-дождевые)                                                            | Cb                 | Heavy, towering cloud with dark base and very high top that produces lightning, thunderstorms, snow showers, hail                   |
| Surface                         | fog or mist                                                                               |                    |                                                                                                                                     |

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Cumulus subtypes:
Cumulus congestus (Cu con) - towering vertical clouds
Cumulus mediocris (Cu med) - moderate vertical clouds
Cumulus humilis (Cu hum) - low-level clouds
Cumulus fractus (Cu fr) - very low-level ragged clouds