(meteorology) A principal cloud type, appearing as a whitish veil, usually fibrous but sometimes smooth, which may totally cover the sky and often produces halo phenomena, either partial or complete. Abbreviated Cs.
Cirrostratus cloud
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(¦sir·ō′strad·əs ¦klau̇d)
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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.
The noun has one meaning:
Meaning #1:
a thin uniform layer of hazy cloud at high altitude
Synonym: cirrostratus
| Wikipedia: Cirrostratus cloud |
| Cirrostratus cloud | |
|---|---|
 Cirrostratus showing an extremely large halo as seen from the ground. |
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| Abbreviation | Cs |
| Genus | Cirrus- "curl of hair" and -stratus "layered" |
| Altitude | Above 6000 m (Above 20,000 ft) |
| Classification | Family A (High-level) |
| Appearance | white veil |
| Precipitation cloud? | No, but may signify approaching rain |
Cirrostratus clouds are thin, generally uniform clouds, composed of ice-crystals, capable of forming halos. They are usually located above 5.5 km . When thick enough to be seen, they are whitish, usually with no distinguishing features. When covering the whole sky and sometimes so thin as to be hardly discernible, this may indicate a large amount of moisture in the upper atmosphere.[1] Cirrostratus clouds sometimes signal the beginning of a warm front and thus may be signs that precipitation might follow in the next 12 to 24 hours[2].
References
- ^ Ludlum, D. (1991), New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-679-40851-7
- ^ Vekteris, Donna (2004). Scholastic Atlas of Weather. Scholastic Inc. p. 14. ISBN 0-439-41902-6.
See also
External links
International Cloud Atlas - Cirrostratus
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 | Cs |
| cirro– (prefix) |
| Stratus |
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 | Sci-Tech Dictionary. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms. Copyright © 2003, 1994, 1989, 1984, 1978, 1976, 1974 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more |
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