Shelf Cloud and Different Types of Cloud
Source : DNA
GS I : Geography

Overview

1. What is Shelf Cloud
2. What are the different types of cloud?

Why in News ?

Formation of terrifying shelf cloud recently appeared in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar. 

What is Shelf Cloud

• The term “shelf cloud” or “Arcus cloud” are both used to describe this meteorological phenomenon.

  

• A shelf cloud is a particular kind of low-lying, horizontal cloud formation that has a distinct line of solid clouds running across it.
• For its unusual wedge-shaped structure, Arcus Cloud is well-known.
• It often occurs on the front edge of a storm and extends horizontally beneath the primary cloud base.
• When a mass of cold, dense air is driven by the wind into a warmer air mass, shelf clouds are formed.
• This occurrence occurs when cold air swiftly descends and dissipates during a thunderstorm’s downdraft, producing a powerful gust front.

What are the different types of cloud?

Clouds are classified based on

1. Height or Altitude
2. Shape or Formation

Based on the Height or Altitude

A. High Clouds

B. Middle Clouds

C. Low Clouds

A. High Clouds

• They may soar higher than 20,000 feet or 6000 metres.
• They go by the name Cirrus Clouds as well.
• They are often composed of ice and are thin.
• They frequently herald fine weather, therefore they don’t bring rain.

Types of High Clouds

1. Cirrus Clouds
   • Typically found at heights greater than 6,000 meters.
   • They are composed of ice crystals that originate from the freezing of supercooled water droplets.
   • The cirrus clouds are tiny and very thin.
2. Cirrostratus Cloud
   • When the cloud assumes the shape of a thin cirrostratus nebulosus, it can generate halos and is difficult to identify.
   • Cirrostratus are transparent high clouds, which cover large areas of the sky.
3. Cirrocumulus
   • They are tiny, spherical puffy clouds with long rows that often appear high in the sky.
   • Usually white, they can occasionally seem grey.

B. Middle Clouds

• Altitude : 2000 to 6000 metres
• This types of cloud shows the chance of storm.
• They are also called as Alto Clouds.

Types of Middle Clouds

1. Altostratus
   • It is made up of water droplets, ice crystals, or a mixture of the two.
   • Formation: Large quantities of warm, humid air ascend, forcing water vapour to condense, resulting in the formation of altostratus clouds.
   • Warm fronts are typically predicted by altostratus clouds.
2. Altocumulus
   • Clouds having globe shaped masses or can be viewed as rolls in layers.
   • Globes found to be darker than the the layer in a greyish sheet. 

C. Low Clouds

• Altitude: 2500 metres
• Also called as Stratus Clouds.
• Formation: Dense, dark, and rainy (or snowy)
• It is viewed as hump on a blue sky.

Types of Low Clouds

1. Strato Cumulus
   • Formation: Large dark, rounded or globular masses, usually in groups, lines, or waves.
2. Stratus
   • Low-level stratus clouds have a largely uniform grey or white tint.
   • Near the coast, stratus clouds form dense cloud cover.
3. Nimbostratus
   • Formation: Dark, Thick 
   • They forms precipitations, continous rain or snow.
   • These clouds appear frequently in the atmosphere.

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