List of cloud types
Clouds of the genus stratus form in low horizontal layers having a ragged or uniform base. Ragged stratus often forms in precipitation while more uniform stratus forms in maritime or other moist stable air mass conditions. The latter often produces drizzle. Stratus that touches the Earth's surface is given the common name, fog, rather than a Latin name that applies only to clouds that form and remain aloft in the troposphere."Cloud types are sorted in alphabetical order except where noted".
The division of genus types into species is as shown in the following table. The species are sorted from left to right in approximate ascending order of instability or vertical extent. The genus types are arranged from top to bottom in the same ascending order of instability within each étage. (1)=Stratiform types, (2)=Cirriform types, (3)=Stratocumuliform types, (4)=Cumuliform types, (5)=Cumulonimbiform types.
Vert=Vertical or multi-level, MV=Moderate or deep vertical, TV=Towering vertical.
Cumulus cloud
The species "Cumulus fractus" is ragged in appearance and can form in clear air as a precursor to cumulus humilis and larger cumulus species-types; or it can form in precipitation as the supplementary feature "pannus" (also called scud) which can also include stratus fractus of bad weather. "Cumulus humilis" clouds look like puffy, flattened shapes. "Cumulus mediocris" clouds look similar, except that they have some vertical development. "Cumulus congestus" clouds have a cauliflower-like structure and tower high into the atmosphere, hence their alternate name "towering cumulus". The variety "Cumulus radiatus" forms in radial bands called cloud streets and can comprise any of the four species of cumulus.
Cumulus supplementary features are most commonly seen with the species congestus. "Cumulus virga" clouds are cumulus clouds producing virga (precipitation that evaporates while aloft), and "cumulus praecipitatio" produce precipitation that reaches the Earth's surface. "Cumulus pannus" comprise shredded clouds that normally appear beneath the parent cumulus cloud during precipitation. "Cumulus arcus" clouds have a gust front, and "cumulus tuba" clouds have funnel clouds or tornadoes. "Cumulus pileus" clouds refer to cumulus clouds that have grown so rapidly as to force the formation of pileus over the top of the cloud. "Cumulus velum" clouds have an ice crystal veil over the growing top of the cloud.