Stratocumulus
Topic: Water in the Atmosphere: Humidity, Condensation, Clouds and Precipitation · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 10 "Water in the Atmosphere"
Meaning
Stratocumulus is a low cloud. "Strato" means layered and "cumulus" means heaped. It looks like lumpy grey or whitish patches or rolls, with gaps of sky between them. It is very common over oceans. It usually gives little or no rain.
Example
Over the cold ocean off the coasts of Peru and Chile in South America, wide sheets of stratocumulus cover the sea for long periods. They give very little rain.
Don't confuse with
- Altocumulus: a middle-level cloud with smaller rounded masses. Stratocumulus is lower, with bigger, heavier lumps.
- Nimbostratus: also low, but a thick, unbroken dark layer that gives steady rain. Stratocumulus has gaps and gives little rain.
Related concepts
- Cloud classification by height
- Cirrostratus
- Cirrocumulus
- Altostratus
- Altocumulus
- Nimbostratus
- Cumulonimbus