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.
Schedule a Demo Today
A new era is starting with fundamentally new forecasting with unprecedented precision!
Contact UsGlossary
The belt between 50-70 ° N and S latitudes in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, adjacent to the Polar Region. Although...
A type of cloud consisting mostly of small particles such as ice particles.
The formation of ice crystals on surfaces when the temperature drops below freezing, typically overnight, causing potential...
A thick cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere near the Earth's surface, significantly reducing visibility.
A low-pressure area with converging winds, rotating counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern...
A scale for estimating wind speed based on observed conditions of the sea or land. It ranges from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane)...
CONQ is a meteorological abbreviation for significant convection observed in a specific area, often indicating unstable atmospheric...
A narrow band of strong winds in the upper atmosphere, typically flowing from west to east and influencing weather patterns.
A body that has the property of absorbing all electromagnetic radiation falling on it, and therefore is the theoretical body...
A rapidly rotating column of air extending from a thunderstorm to the ground, capable of causing significant damage.