We use the cloud naming system invented in 1802 by Englishman Luke Howard.  To describe clouds he used Latin names: the first part of the name describes height, and the second part describes shape.

To indicate that a cloud can produce precipitation, you should add nimbus.

All pictures and descriptions are from the Plymouth State College Site: 

Meteorology Program Cloud Boutique

More descriptions (in English) are also available from this page.

Please click on the pictures to enlarge them (size: 20-50 KB)

	Cirrus are high altitude wispy clouds.  They are usually quite thin and often have a hairlike or filament type of appearance.  The curled ends as depicted in this picture are very common features.
	Stratus are usually the lowest of the low clouds.  Stratus often appear as an overcast deck (as shown), but can be scattered.  The individual cloud elements have very ill-defined edges compared to most low cumuloform clouds (e.g. cumulus and stratocumulus).
	Altostratus have a more uniform and diffuse coverage in which it is difficult to detect individual elements or features. In this picture, a few altocumulus clouds in the foreground precede a more uniform deck (see arrow) of altostratus.
	Stratocumulus can be widely scattered (as depicted in this photo), but are usually concentrated closer together in clusters or layers and have very little vertical development.
	This photo of a stratocumulus layer from above was taken by Jay Shafer, a PSC meteorology graduate, from Mt. Washington.
	This picture shows a view from the ground of a cumulonimbus with a base at around 3,000 feet and vertical development upward to around 30,000 feet - small compared to most thunderstorms which are associated with really severe weather.
	Cumulonimbus, as shown in this photo (with cumulus in the foreground), are the clouds that can produce lightning, thunder, heavy rains, hail, strong winds, and tornadoes. They are the tallest of all clouds that can span all cloud layers and extend above 60,000 feet. They usually have large anvil-shaped tops (as shown) which form because of the stronger winds at those higher levels of the atmosphere.

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