What is Altostratus?
A middle cloud type within the B family in the international cloud classification. These clouds consist of water droplets and sometimes ice crystals. In mid-latitudes, the cloud base varies between 15,000 and 20,000 feet. They can range in color from white to gray and bluish. Altostratus clouds can be fibrous or layered and may occasionally form a thick layer that obscures the sun and moon. The halo phenomenon is not observed with this cloud type. It is a good indicator of precipitation or a precursor to a storm. Virga-type clouds fall into this category. They are often formed by variations in low altostratus. They can cause light rain and snowfall. Subtypes of altostratus include opacus, precipitans, and translucidus.
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The mass of air surrounding the earth and bound to it more or less permanently by the earth's gravitational attraction.
Any form of water - liquid or solid - that falls from the atmosphere to the Earth's surface, including rain, snow, sleet,...
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The horizontal transport of any feature within the atmosphere due to the movement of air (wind). This includes phenomena...
The state of the atmosphere when it contains the maximum amount of water vapor possible at a given temperature and pressure.
The measure of the water vapor or moisture content in the air, expressed as the mass of water vapor per unit volume of air....
A thin, white cloud layer that is intertwined or separate, arranged in regular order, and does not cast a shadow.
A cloud of irregular appearance, composed of irregular cloud fragments.
Precipitation in the form of small balls or lumps of ice that form in thunderstorm updrafts and fall to the ground.