CLOUDS

By
Joseph Okolla

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 OBJECTIVES
To describe the processes
involved in the classification of
clouds and significance in aircraft
operation.

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 INTRODUCTION
 Cloud is an aggregate of very small water droplets, ice
crystals or a mixture of both with base above earth’s surface
 Understanding of terms unstable & stable air mass necessary
 Stable stratified air mass restrains vertical motion
 Unstable air mass
 Unstable air mass intensifies vertical motion

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 INTRODUCTION cont..
 Clouds may indicate to the pilot possibility of wx
problems such as
 Turbulence
 Poor visibility
 Precipitation
 Icing
 Cloud amount measured in OKTAS
 Cloud ceiling
 Height above aerodrome level of lowest layer of cloud of more
than 4 oktas

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 MEASUREMENT OF CLOUD BASE
 Balloon with known rate of ascent released & time between
release and disappearance noted
 An alidade positioned at a known distance from a searchlight
applied

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 CLOUD BASE RECORDER
 Cloud base recorder or ceilometer using laser or other light to
determine cloud base
 Ceilometer using normal light source
 Consists of a projector, detector and recorder
 Projector emits intense beam of light into the sky. The detector at a fixed
distance from the projector use photoelectric cell to project light when
reflected from cloud
 Laser ceilometer
 consists of a vertically pointing laser & a receiver house in the same instrument
assembly
 Determines height by measuring by pulse of light to be scattered back from
cloud

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 CLOUD CLASSIFICATION
 Based on shape & form of cloud
 Stratiform
 Layered type of cloud of considerable horizontal extent, but little vertical
extent
 Cumuliform
 Heaped cloud displaying a marked vertical extent, of greater or lesser degree
 Cirriform
 Fibrous, wispy or hair-like in appearance. Mainly found at high levels in the
Troposphere
 Clouds also classified by reference to height of base

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 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON
HEIGHT
 Low clouds
 Between surface and 6500 ft
 May be stratus, stratocumulus, cumulus & cumulonimbus
(nimbus–rain bearing)
 Cu & Cb may extend to higher levels. Cb may extend up to
Tropopause
 Medium clouds (6500 ft and 23000 ft)
 Characterized by the prefix “alto” such as altostratus &
altocumulus
 Nimbostratus also a medium level-cloud but may extend into
both lower & upper levels

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 CLASSIFICATION BASED ON
HEIGHT cont..
 High clouds between 16500 & tropopause
 Prefixed by “cirro”: cirrostratus, cirrocumulus & cirrus (Latin
cirrus means curl)

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 Cloud classification

cloud Base height (in feet)

Tropical latitude Temperate latitudes Polar latitudes

High 20,000 to 60,000 16,000 to 43,000 10,000 to 26,000

Medium 6,500 to 26,000 6,500 to 23,000 6,500 to 13,000

Low Surface to 6,500 Surface to 6,500 Surface to 6,500

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS
 Stratus (from latin stratum, meaning strewn)
 Generally grey, layered cloud with a fairly uniform base. Produces
drizzle or light snow
 Thickness not more than 1000 -1500 ft
 Lowest cloud
 Properties associated
 Covers high ground, concealing hill tops from pilots & produce hill fog
 On thin stratus, sun can be seen clearly
 Base between surface & 1000 ft AGL

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Nimbostratus
 Dense, dark-grey, rain-bearing cloud, producing extensive and
long-lasting continuous precipitation
 Base between surface & 10000 ft AGL

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Cumulus (latin Cumulare meaning heap up)
 Most common form of convective cloud
 Developed cumulus a reliable indication of presence of thermal
currents which can skillfully be exploited by glider pilots
 On lighter a/c, flight below the base can be turbulent & very
smooth above the tops
 Developed Cumulus generally dense with sharp outlines
 Forms mounds, domes or towers
 Sunlit Cu are brilliant white but base relatively dark
 With no upper-air inversion may develop into Cumulonimbus
 Base between 1000 ft & 5000 ft base increase with increase with
surface temp

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Stratocumulus
 Appears grey or whitish always has distinct dark parts
 Can be in patches or in a continuous layer
 Thickness rarely exceed 3000 ft but may become 5000 to 6000
ft deep in certain conditions
 Base between 1000 ft & 4500 ft

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Cumulonimbus
 Consist of vigorous convective cloud cells of great vertical
extent
 In later stages of development Cb display a characteristic anvil
top as it hits tropopause
 Upper parts consist of super-cooled water droplets & ice
crystals
 Base often very dark with ragged cloud appearing beneath
 Base between 2000 ft & 5000 ft

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Cb cont..
 Risk of icing & turbulence associated always severe
 Associated with strong upcurrents & down currents
 Produces severe pptn in the form of heavy showers of rain &
hail
 Lightning & static discharge which may lead to airframe damage
 Erroneous instrument reading & squally winds

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Altocumulus
 Takes form of speckled white or grey cloud
 Patches of cloud appear as rounded masses of fibrous or diffuse
aspect
 Occur between 8000 & 15000 ft with tops on some occasions
as high as 23000 ft
 Base between 6500 ft & 20000 ft
 Main two forms
 Lenticularis (lense form) & castellanus (turrents)

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Altocumulus cont..
 Lenticularis found downwind of mountainous
or hilly areas & indicate presence of mountain
wave
 Castellanus is a “bubbly” form have towers
 Heralds change to showery, thundery wx
 Cb clouds sometimes may develop

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Altostratus
 Grey or bluish sheet or layer of cloud
 Sometimes covers the whole sky giving “ground glass” effect
around the Sun or Moon
 Base between 8000 & 15000 ft thickness between 2000 to 8000
ft

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Cirrus (in latin mean curl)
 Highest of all cloud types & composed entirely of ice crystals
 Fibrous or hair-like
 Found between 16500 & 45000 ft
 Heralds approach of a warm front

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Cirrostratus
 Transparent whitish cloud-veil of fibrous or smooth appearance,
totally or partially cover the sky
 Made of ice crystals & lies between 18000 and 45000 ft
 Further warning of an approaching frontal system
 May cause the Sun & moon to appear with a halo

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS cont..
 Cirrocumulus
 Least often seen in the sky
 Thin, white and patchy layer of cloud with ripples more or less
regularly arranged
 Consist of ice crystals and generally found between 20000 & 30000
feet
 Virga
 Streaks of precipitation from below the cloud do not reach the
ground

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 TYPES OF CLOUDS
Low Stratus ST
Stratocumulus SC
Medium Altocumulus AC
Altostratus AS
High Cirrus CI
Cirrostratus
Cirrocumulus CS

CC

Great Vertical Cumulus CU

Extension Cumulonimbus CB
Nimbostratus NS

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 SUB-SPECIES
 Lenticularis Clouds with a lens like
appearance
 Castellanus Clouds with a turrent like
appearance
 Mamma Clouds with a base that has a
pendulous or pouch like appearance
 Fractus Clouds with a broken or ragged
appearance

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 AMOUNT OF CLOUD
No clouds SKC (sky clear)
Single clouds 1-2 oktas FEW
>25 to 50% of the 3-4 oktas SCT (scattered)
sky covered with
clouds
More than half the 5-7 oktas BKN (broken)
sky covered

The whole sky 8 oktas OVC (overcast)

covered with
26 cloud
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 Cloud Type & Characteristics
Cloud Type Height Composition Turbulence Icing Visibility Significance
Cirrus CI 16 500 ft to 46 500 ft Ice crystals Nil Nil 1000 m + Found 400 to 600 nm
ahead of a warm front
Cirrostratus CS 16 500 ft to 46 500 ft Ice crystals Nil Nil 1000 m + Found 400 to 600 nm
ahead of a warm front
Cirrocumulus CC 16 500 ft to 46 500 ft Ice crystals Nil Nil 1000 m + Found 400 to 600 nm
ahead of a warm front
Altocumulus AC 6500 ft to 23 000 ft Water droplets and Light to Light to 20 to 1000 m Can indicate the approach
ice crystals moderate moderate of a warm front
Altostratus AS 6500 ft to 23 000 ft Water droplets and Light to Light to 20 to 1000 m Warm front 200 nm ahead.
ice crystals moderate moderate Merges with NS as the front
is approached
Nimbostratus NS Ground level to 6500 Water droplets but Moderate to Moderate to 10 to 20 m Warm front adjacent
ft. Can be 10 to 15 can be ice crystals severe severe
000 ft merging into at medium levels
AS at higher levels
Stratocumulus SC 1000 ft to 6500 ft Water droplets Light to Light to 10 to 30 m Turbulence cloud often
moderate moderate associated with Cu
Stratus ST Ground level to 6500 Water droplets Nil Occasionally 10 to 30 m Turbulence cloud.
ft light to Light precipitation
moderate
Cumulus CU 1000 ft to 25 000 ft Water droplets and Moderate to Moderate to Less than 20 Instability cloud. Large CU
ice crystals severe severe m may develop into CB
Cumulonimbus CB 1000 ft to 45 000 ft Water droplets and Moderate to Moderate to 10 to 20 m Instability cloud.
ice crystals severe severe Thunderstorms, lightning
and hail
Altocumulus ACC 6500 ft to 23 000 ft Water droplets and Moderate to Moderate to - An indication of unstable air
castellanus ice crystals severe severe at mid levels. Can indicate
approaching CB.
Altocumulus ACL 6500 ft to 23 000 ft Water droplets and Moderate to Moderate to - Indication of standing or
Lenticularis ice crystals severe severe mountain waves
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