This is a photograph of cirrostratus clouds near Moab, Utah.
Click on image for full size
Courtesy of Anne Pharamond
Cirrostratus
Cirrostratus (weather symbol - Cs) clouds consist almost entirely of ice crystals and belong to the
High Cloud (5000-13000m) group. They are sheetlike thin clouds that usually
cover the entire sky.
The sun or moon can shine through cirrostratus clouds . Sometimes, the sun or
moon will appear to have a halo around it when in the presence of cirrostratus.
The ice crystals from the cloud refracts the light from the sun or moon,
creating a halo. This halo is the width of your hand when you hold it out at arm's length.
Cirrostratus clouds usually come 12-24 hours before a rain or snow storm. This
is especially true if Middle group clouds are associated with it. You
can distinguish a cirrostratus from an altostratus cloud by looking for your
shadow on the ground. If you can see your shadow, then the cloud is
cirrostratus.
You might also be interested in:
The high cloud group consists of Cirrus, Cirrostratus, and Cirrocumulus clouds. The prefix cirro- means 'high.' High clouds consist of primarily ice crystals due to the cold air in the upper troposphere.
...more
Rain is precipitation that falls to the Earth in drops of 5mm or greater in diameter according to the US National Weather Service. Virga is rain that evaporates before reaching the ground. Raindrops form
...more
The middle cloud group consists of Altostratus and Altocumulus clouds. The prefix alto- means 'middle.' Middle clouds consist of ice crystals and water droplets. The base of a middle cloud above the surface
...more Altostratus clouds (weather symbol - As) consist of water and some ice crystals. They belong to the Middle Cloud group (2000-7000m up). An altostratus cloud usually covers the whole sky and has a gray
...more
Cirrus (weather symbol - Ci) clouds are the most common of the High Cloud (5000-13000m) group. They are composed entirely of ice and consist of long, thin, wispy streamers. They are commonly known as
...more
Weather fronts can cause clouds to form. Fronts occur when two large masses of air collide at the Earth's surface. Warm fronts produce clouds when warm air replaces cold air by sliding above it. Many different
...more
Altocumulus clouds (weather symbol - Ac), are made primarily of liquid water and have a thickness of 1 km. They are part of the Middle Cloud group (2000-7000m up). They are grayish-white with one part
...more
