Type - Cloud charcteristics vary depending on their altitude as well as the atmospheric conditions. Some other species of low clouds include nimbostratus, cumulus, stratocumulus, mamatocumulus. Begin with the prefix alto. Examples include altocumulus, altostratus. Cirrus, cirrocumulus, cirrostratus.
Stratus clouds are good indicators that precipitation is approaching.
The uniform dull gray colored clouds that often cause completely overcast skies. The gray underside of the cloud is shapeless and may resemble fog. The clouds are layered and formed largely from the nearly horizontal motion of air with one air layer slidding over another. These clouds are found at low altitudes. Stratocumulus Clouds that consist of masses or rolls of cumulus clouds, usually arranged in a pattern with narrow breaks between the individual clouds.