1802 – England
‘All types of clouds can be categorised into three basic families’
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High clouds (their bases above 6km) – CIRRUS (hair-like)
- a. Cirrus
- b. Cirrocumulus
- c. Cirrostratus
-
Middle clouds (between 2 and 6km) – CUMULUS (puffs)
- a. Altocumulus
- b. Altostratus
- c. Nimbostratus
-
Low clouds (below 2km) – STRATUS (layers)
- a. Stratocumulus
- b. Stratus
- c. Cumulus.
Intermediate and compound types are cumulocirrostratus or nimbus (the rain cloud).
Clouds that stretch through the three altitude bands are cumulonimbus.