What Causes Different Types of Clouds

At a warm front, where a warm air mass slides above a cold air mass, the warm air is pushed upward forming many different types of clouds – from low stratus clouds to midlevel altocumulus and altostratus clouds, to high cirrus, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus clouds.

How are clouds formed what are the main categories of clouds?

The three main types of clouds Though they vary in shape and size, all clouds are basically formed in the same way through the vertical of air above the condensation level. … High-level clouds (5-13 km): cirrocumulus, cirrus, and cirrostratus. Mid-level clouds (2-7 km): altocumulus, altostratus, and nimbostratus.

What causes cumulus clouds?

All cumulus clouds develop because of convection. As air heated at the surface is lifted, it cools and water vapour condenses to produce the cloud. … Along coastlines, cumulus may form over land during daylight hours as a sea breeze brings in moist air, which is then warmed by the surface.