Discussion
Ask a question about 'Altocumulus cloud' Start a new discussion about 'Altocumulus cloud' Answer questions from other users |
Altocumulus (
Alto, "high",
cumulus, "heaped") is a
cloudA cloud is a visible mass of droplets or frozen crystals suspended in the atmosphere above the surface of the Earth or another planetary body. A cloud is also a visible mass attracted by gravity, such as masses of material in space called interstellar clouds and nebulae...
belonging to a class characterized by globular masses or rolls in layers or patches, the individual elements being larger and darker than those of cirrocumulus and smaller than those of stratocumulus. Like other cumulus clouds, altocumulus signifies convection. It is usually white or gray, and often occurs in sheets or patches with wavy, rounded masses or rolls. Altocumulus often are seen preceding a cold front, and their presence on a warm, humid, summer morning frequently signals the development of thunderstorms later in the day. Alto means high and these clouds may cause rain if they are higher up.
One form of altocumulus,
altocumulus lenticularis (
Lenticular cloudLenticular clouds are stationary lens-shaped clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned perpendicular to the wind direction. Lenticular clouds can be separated into altocumulus standing lenticularis , stratocumulus standing lenticular , and cirrocumulus standing lenticular .- Formation...
) is frequently reported as "
Unidentified flying objectUnidentified flying object is the popular term for any aerial phenomenon whose cause cannot be easily or immediately identified...
s". The altocumulus approach can sometimes be disturbing, for the cloud has a dark and somewhat frightening appearance. It is about 4,000 feet to 20,000 feet (1,200 to 6,100 meters) above ground level.
External links