Types of Clouds and Weather

Not all clouds are the same! Scientists have given different cloud types special names based on how they look and where they are in the sky.

CUMULUS clouds are the big, puffy, cotton-ball clouds you see on nice days. They look like mountains of whipped cream in the sky. When you see cumulus clouds, it usually means fair weather!

STRATUS clouds are flat, gray clouds that cover the whole sky like a blanket. They often bring light rain or drizzle. When you wake up and the sky is all gray, those are stratus clouds.

CIRRUS clouds are thin, wispy clouds way up high in the sky. They look like someone painted white streaks with a paintbrush. Cirrus clouds are made of ice crystals because they are so high up where it is very cold.