Cirrocumulus
Topic: Water in the Atmosphere: Humidity, Condensation, Clouds and Precipitation · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 10 "Water in the Atmosphere"
Meaning
Cirrocumulus is a high cloud. "Cirro" means high and "cumulus" means heaped. It is made of small white puffs of ice crystals, arranged in rows or ripples like the scales of a fish. This pattern is called a mackerel sky. It usually comes with fair weather, but it can signal that the weather is about to change.
Example
Over the coasts of Britain, sailors have long watched for a mackerel sky. It warns them that the weather may change and the wind may rise.
Don't confuse with
- Altocumulus: also patches of rounded clouds, but lower, at middle levels, with bigger masses that are often shaded grey. Cirrocumulus puffs are tiny and pure white.
Related concepts
- Cloud classification by height
- Cirrostratus
- Altostratus
- Altocumulus
- Stratocumulus
- Nimbostratus
- Cumulonimbus