Cloud
High clouds form at altitudes of in the polar regions, in the temperate regions and in the tropics. All cirriform clouds are classified as high and thus constitute a single genus "cirrus" (Ci). Stratocumuliform and stratiform clouds in the high altitude range carry the prefix "cirro-", yielding the respective genus names "cirrocumulus" (Cc) and "cirrostratus" (Cs). When limited-resolution satellite images of high clouds are analysed without supporting data from direct human observations, it becomes impossible to distinguish between individual forms or genus types, which are then collectively identified as "high-type" (or informally as "cirrus-type" even though not all high clouds are of the cirrus form or genus).Non-vertical clouds in the middle level are prefixed by "alto-", yielding the genus names "altocumulus" (Ac) for stratocumuliform types and "altostratus" (As) for stratiform types. These clouds can form as low as above surface at any latitude, but may be based as high as near the poles, at mid latitudes, and in the tropics. As with high clouds, the main genus types are easily identified by the human eye, but it is not possible to distinguish between them using satellite photography. Without the support of human observations, these clouds are usually collectively identified as "middle-type" on satellite images.
Low clouds are found from near surface up to . Genus types in this level either have no prefix or carry one that refers to a characteristic other than altitude. Clouds that form in the low level of the troposphere are generally of larger structure than those that form in the middle and high levels, so they can usually be identified by their forms and genus types using satellite photography alone.
Cloud
The genitus and mutatus categories have been expanded to include certain types that do not originate from pre-existing clouds. The term "flammagenitus" (Latin for 'fire-made') applies to cumulus congestus or cumulonimbus that are formed by large scale fires or volcanic eruptions. Smaller low-level "pyrocumulus" or "fumulus" clouds formed by contained industrial activity are now classified as cumulus "homogenitus" (Latin for 'man-made'). Contrails formed from the exhaust of aircraft flying in the upper level of the troposphere can persist and spread into formations resembling any of the high cloud genus-types and are now officially designated as cirrus, cirrostratus, or cirrocumulus homogenitus. If a homogenitus cloud of one genus changes to another genus type, it is then termed a "homomutatus" cloud. Stratus cataractagenitus (Latin for 'cataract-made') are generated by the spray from waterfalls. "Silvagenitus" (Latin for 'forest-made') is a stratus cloud that forms as water vapor is added to the air above a forest canopy.