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In general, thin stratus clouds are usually nonprecipitating, whereas thick stratus clouds (i.e., 1–2 km vertical extent) are capable of producing substantial widespread rain or snow. Although the classification of cloud systems in stratiform and convective is useful for observation purposes, it cannot be considered sharp ( Harrold and Austin, 1974 ).
Stratocumulus clouds (Figure 14) differ from stratus clouds (Figure 15) because they have an obvious rather lumpy appearance at cloud base with darker and lighter regions due to embedded weak convection. These changes in shading represent variations in the liquid water content of the clouds, with the darker regions representing higher amounts of liquid water.
In altostratus clouds (Figure 5), the dominance of ice causes a diffuse, amorphous appearance with striations or fallstreaks on the bottom because an observer is viewing relatively low concentrations of precipitation particles rather than a ‘cloud’ per se. Altostratus clouds are rarely less than 2 km thick and often have tops at the same heights as cirrus and cirrostratus clouds.
Jan 1, 1993 · Andrew J. Heymsfield Cloud Types and Occurrence The three most common types of clouds are stratus, cumulus, and cirrus. According to the Glossary of Meteorology (Huschke, 1970), stratus clouds are layers or patches of low, often grey, clouds that have very little definition and rarely produce precipitation.
Stratocumulus clouds (Figure 14) differ from stratus clouds (Figure 15) because they have an obvious rather lumpy appearance at cloud base with darker and lighter regions due to embedded weak convection. These changes in shading represent variations in the liquid water content of the clouds, with the darker regions representing higher amounts of liquid water.
Nov 15, 2019 · The simulation of marine stratus clouds in the SEP region is still problematic in current GCMs. Fig. 2 shows the annual mean low-cloud fraction and surface shortwave cloud radiative forcing (SWCRF) in the region from CALIPSO observations and AMIP simulations of the models that participated in the CMIP5 model intercomparison project.
Jan 1, 2011 · Stratus clouds do not produce halo phenomena except, possibly, at very low temperatures. Sometimes stratus clouds appear in the form of ragged patches. Cumulus —Detached clouds, generally dense and with sharp outlines developing vertically in the form of rising mounds, domes, or towers, of which the bulging upper part often resembles a cauliflower.
Clouds with bases 2–6 km above the surface are termed ‘middle’ clouds, and are classified as altostratus (As) or altocumulus (Ac) by their resemblance to St or Cu. Clouds with bases between 6 km and the tropopause are the ‘high’ clouds: cirrus (Ci), cirrostratus (Cs), and cirrocumulus (Cc). They consist of ice crystals and as a group ...
Jan 1, 2011 · It was noted earlier that under conditions supporting a cumulus-under-stratus regime, the clouds can resemble mini-cumulonimbus clouds. Jensen et al. (2000) go further and note that in a drizzling boundary layer, the evaporating drizzle can form cold-pools which produce propagating cells that resemble miniature squall lines.
Jan 1, 2014 · (a) Stratus and stratocumulus frequency is indicated by fraction of low clouds observed at each grid point that have bases less than 3 km altitude and layer thicknesses less than 3 km. (b) Frequency of moderately deep clouds (most likely moderately deep convective or frontal clouds) seen at each grid point that have bases less than 3 km and layer thicknesses between 3 and 6 km. (c) Frequency of deep clouds (most likely deep convective or frontal clouds) seen at each grid point that have ...
