The following is cloud terminology according to NOAAs Cloud Atlas.
In meteorology we divide clouds in 4 clouds families, which are in different heights of the troposphere: High level clouds (altitudes of 5-13 km), medium level clouds (2-7 km), low level clouds (0-2 km) and clouds with large vertical extending (0-13 km).
These clouds families are divided in 10 cloud genus: (note: having an issue with the example images – you can click on the name to get more info on the cloud type)
| High level clouds at heights of 5-13 km | |||
| name | abbr. | example | meaning |
| Cirrus | Ci |  |
Fibrous, threadlike, white feather clouds of ice crystals, whose form resembles hair curls. |
| Cirrostratus | Cs |  |
Milky, translucent cloud veil of ice crystals, which sometimes causes halo appearances around moon and sun. |
| Cirrocumulus | Cc |  |
Fleecy cloud; Cloud banks of small, white flakes. |
| Medium level clouds at heights of 2-7 km | |||
| name | abbr. | example | meaning |
| Altocumulus | Ac |  |
Grey cloud bundles, sheds or rollers, compound like rough fleecy cloud, which are often arranged in banks. |
| Altostratus | As |  |
Dense, gray layer cloud, often evenly and opaquely, which lets the sun shine through only a little. |
| Low level clouds at heights of 0-2 km | |||
| name | abbr. | example | meaning |
| Stratocumulus | Sc |  |
Cloud plaices, rollers or banks compound dark gray layer cloud. |
| Stratus | St |  |
Evenly grey, low layer cloud, which causes fog or fine precipitation and is sometimes frazzled. |
| Clouds with large vertical extending at heights of 0-13 km | |||
| name | abbr. | example | meaning |
| Cumulus | Cu |  |
Heap cloud with flat basis in the middle or lower level, whose vertical development reminds of the form of towers, cauliflower or cotton. |
| Cumulonimbus | Cb |  |
In the middle or lower level developing thundercloud, which mostly up-rises into the upper level. |
| Nimbostratus | Ns |  |
Rain cloud. Grey, dark layer cloud, indistinct outlines. |
| Other cloud pictures and appearances | |||
| name | example | meaning | |
| other cloud photos |  |
These photos are not assigned to individual cloud families, because they e.g. show a chaotic sky with many different cloud types or undefinite photos. | |
| other appearances |  |
Appearances, which fit into no other classifications. | |
Cloud species, subspecies and special forms
To each cloud family there are certain species, subspecies and special forms, which are to describe the appearance of the cloud families nearer. By clicking on the names you get to the pictures of the clouds, which are assigned to this species, subspecies or special forms.
| cloud species | |||
| name | abbr. | meaning | cloud families |
| calvus | cal | bald, smoothly | Cb |
| capillatus | cap | haired, frayed, fibrously | Cb |
| castellanus | cas | turrets-like | Ci, Cc, Ac, Sc |
| congestus | con | huge, towered | Cu |
| fibratus | fib | fibrously | Ci, Cs |
| floccus | flo | flaked puffy | Ci, Cc, Ac |
| fractus | fra | frazzled | St, Cu |
| humilis | hum | low | Cu |
| lenticularis | len | lense-shaped, almond-shaped | Cc, Ac, Sc |
| mediocris | med | moderately | Cu |
| nebulosus | neb | fog, veil-like | Cs, St |
| spissatus | spi | dense | Ci |
| stratiformis | str | layer wise | Cc, Ac, Sc |
| uncinus | unc | hooked, comma-shaped | Ci |
| cloud subspecies | |||
| name | abbr. | meaning | cloud families |
| duplicatus | du | double and multilevel | Ci, Cs, Ac, As, Sc |
| intortus | in | interlaced | Ci |
| lacunosus | la | perforated (round frayed holes) | Cc, Ac, seldom Sc |
| opacus | op | not shining through, darkly | Ac, As, Sc, St |
| perlucidus | pe | transparent (by small gaps) | Ac, Sc |
| radiatus | ra | radially, parallel bands and strips | Ci, Ac, As, Sc, Cu |
| translucidus | tr | translucently | Ac, As, Sc, St |
| undulatus | un | wavelike | Cc, Cs, Ac, As, Sc, St |
| vertebratus | ve | skeleton-like, fishbone-like | Ci |
| special forms | |||
| name | abbr. | meaning | cloud families |
| arcus | arc | with gust collar | Cb, seldom Cu |
| incus | inc | with anvil | Cb |
| mamma | mam | sac-like, wart-like excrescences at the bottom side of the cloud | Ci, Cc, Ac, As, Sc, Cb |
| pannus | pan | with frazzles | As, Ns, Cu, Cb |
| pileus | pil | with cap | Cu, Cb |
| praecipitatio | pra | with precipitation | As, Ns, Sc, St, Cu, Cb |
| tuba | tub | with funnel cloud or tornado | Cb, seldom Cu |
| velum | vel | with veil | Cu, Cb |
| virga | vir | with drop strips | Cc, Ac, As, Ns, Sc, Cu, Cb |
Additionally the development of a cloud family can be described from other cloud families. If a new cloud family is developed, the designation of the mother cloud is attached with a “genitus”. Thus if a Cumulonimbus develops from a Cumulus, this cloud is designated as Cumulonimbus cumulogenitus (Cb cugen).
If the new cloud family did not develop yet, but the development goes there, the designation of the current cloud family is attached with a “mutatus”. Thus if the development of a Stratus goes to a Stratocumulus, this cloud is designated as Stratus stratocumulomutatus (St scmut).
Cooler temperatures can be expected the rest of the week, although highs will still be near to only slightly below normal.
Weak low pressure over the Ohio Valley and a cold front approaching from the northwest will bring clouds and scattered showers today and tonight.
High pressure will build back into the region on Wednesday resulting in decreasing clouds and dry weather which continues into Thursday.
Another chance of showers arrives late Thursday night and Friday with a cold front which ushers in a cool air mass for the weekend.
WoodTV8 is calling for warmer temps next week. Tues high of 79 and Wed it will be 80 degrees. Our first 80 degree day coming soon!!
63* out warmer then wood 8 said today we will take it INDYDOG14!!
Thanks to the mild overnight low of 52 degrees, it looks like today will be another above average day. WOOD now has 73, 79 starting Monday!
For what it’s worth, the latest CFS weeklies give us above average temps every week until mid June.
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/WK34/gifs/WK34temp.gif
I would rather use the current CPC forecasts and not one from several days ago, FYI. Feel free to see the CFS weeklies for yourself here:
https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/models/
What an April! Well below normal temps and above normal snowfall, 3 WWA and 1 WSW! The rest of this week we will have highs in the 50’s = more below normal temps! Clearly we are still entrenched in a below normal temp pattern! The facts rule and ROCK n ROLL will live forever baby!
I don’t mind this weather at all. Yesterday got to warm for hard work outside, I’ll take 50s for as long as possible. But my favorite pattern we’ve been in for several years now is January’s and February’s with little snow, more thunderstorms than any other time of the year, and temps in the 50s and 60s. That is just peiceless!
What is priceless is even after all of that GR ended up with ABOVE NORMAL SEASONAL SNOWFALL! Incredible!
Who cares, Winter is over!! Time for 1 of the 2 best seasons of the year, Spring and then Fall!
Who cares you say? I am glad that you asked. HERE IS A LIST OF THE PEOPLE THAT CARE! I do, anyone who likes SNOW, anyone who likes winter and anyone that likes to look at weather stats! Do you have anymore questions?
A week left in April, and GR has almost already exceeded the coldest April mean temperature. So it’s clear we won’t come close to setting an April record.
Detroit is reporting a mean of 40.4 – which is only 7.5 degrees away from normal and closing fast from where they were a week or so ago.
The temperature reached 74° here in Grand Rapids yesterday (75° at my house) The grass this morning is noticeably greener then it has been. And my daffodils are now in full bloom but the tulips still have a long way to go yet but warmer temperatures and any rain will push them along. As for the trees well there are buds on them but it will be into May before we see any sign of leaves on the trees this year. That has been the tread over a large part of the Great Lakes and Midwest this year. This spring… Read more »
GR hit 74 degrees yesterday – 12 degrees above average and outperforming forecasts yet again. Looks like we will see more 70’s in less than a week. The GFS forecast is even warmer today than it was yesterday.
Are we in store for another storm-free spring?
it has been a slow start to the tornado season in tornado ally
https://weather.com/storms/tornado/news/2018-04-19-no-tornadoes-oklahoma-record-2018
Slim
Thanks Slim. So it’s not just us.