What type of weather do altostratus clouds have?

What type of weather do altostratus clouds have?

Altostratus clouds are mid-level, gray or blue-gray clouds that usually cover the whole sky. The Sun or moon may shine through an altostratus cloud, but will appear watery or fuzzy. If you see altostratus clouds, a storm with continuous rain or snow might be on its way.

What do altostratus clouds indicate?

Altostratus clouds are “strato” type clouds (see below) that possess a flat and uniform type texture in the mid levels. They frequently indicate the approach of a warm front and may thicken and lower into stratus, then nimbostratus resulting in rain or snow.

What weather does altostratus produce?

Altostratus clouds can produce virga, causing the cloud base to appear hazy. While they do not produce significant precipitation, altostratus clouds can cause light sprinkles or even small rain showers. Consistent rainfall and lowering of the cloud base causes altostratus to become nimbostratus.

What type of weather is associated with altocumulus clouds?

unstable weather conditions
Altocumulus clouds are associated with unstable weather conditions. If you see one of these during the morning, you should expect a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Yet, precipitation is not that common from these clouds, so you may be free of rain if you see an altocumulus cloud.

Where are altostratus clouds found?

Altostratus clouds are found in the middle cloud level. And unlike their altocumulus counterpart, they’re often boring to look at. Along with nimbostratus clouds, these clouds don’t have any species associated with them.

What do altocumulus clouds indicate?

Altocumulus clouds that appear on a clear humid morning can indicate the development of thunderstorms later in the day. That’s because altocumulus clouds often precede cold fronts of low-pressure systems. As such, they also sometimes signal the onset of cooler temperatures.

What does a altostratus mean?

Definition of altostratus : a fairly uniform mid-altitude layer of gray cloud darker than cirrostratus — see cloud illustration.

Where are altostratus clouds located?

middle cloud level
Altostratus clouds are found in the middle cloud level. And unlike their altocumulus counterpart, they’re often boring to look at. Along with nimbostratus clouds, these clouds don’t have any species associated with them.

How do altocumulus clouds affect the weather?

Altocumulus clouds help to indicate convection, or rising heat, in the atmosphere. As warm air rises into the atmosphere, it cools and condenses water droplets in the area, which in turn form the cloud structures that we view from Earth’s surface.

Are altostratus clouds common?

Altostratus clouds are unique because they are featureless, unlike many other clouds. Hopefully, you now understand what altostratus clouds are and how they form. They can occur in any region that has moist air, and they are a very common occurrence!

How can you distinguish altostratus clouds from cirrostratus clouds?

Cirrostratus are often confused with Altostratus, so in order to tell the difference, look at the sun through the clouds. Cirrostratus clouds will cause a halo to form around the sun, while altostratus will simply show a dimly visible sun.

What is the scientific definition of altostratus?

altostratus. / (ˌæltəʊˈstreɪtəs, -ˈstrɑː-) / noun plural -ti (-taɪ) a layer cloud at an intermediate height of about 2400 to 6000 metres (8000 to 20 000 feet)