Cirrus (cloud classification symbol: Ci) is a genus of atmospheric cloud generally characterized by thin, wispy strands, giving the type its name from the Latin word cirrus, meaning a ringlet or curling lock of hair..
Also know, what is this word Cirrus?
cirrus in American English c. a cone-shaped cluster of fused cilia, occurring in many species of infusorians. 2. Word forms: plural ˈcirrus Meteorology. the type of white cloud that resembles a wispy filament, found at high altitudes and consisting of ice crystals.
Beside above, what causes cirrus clouds? Cirrus clouds form from the ascent of dry air, making the small quantity of water vapour in the air undergo deposition into ice (to change from a gas directly into a solid). Cirrus is made up completely of ice crystals, which provides their white colour and form in a wide range of shapes and sizes.
Subsequently, question is, what type of weather does a cirrus cloud produce?
They are composed of ice and are thin, wispy clouds blown in high winds into long streamers. Cirrus clouds are usually white and predict fair to pleasant weather. By watching the movement of cirrus clouds you can tell from which direction weather is approaching.
What are the characteristics of cirrus clouds?
Cirrus clouds form in very cold air at high altitudes. Made of ice crystals, they have a wispy or feathery appearance. Strong winds often blow streamers or “tails” off cirrus clouds. These features show the direction of the wind in the upper troposphere.
Related Question Answers
What do cirrus clouds mean?
Cirrus (cloud classification symbol: Ci) is a genus of atmospheric cloud generally characterized by thin, wispy strands, giving the type its name from the Latin word cirrus, meaning a ringlet or curling lock of hair. It also forms from the outflow of tropical cyclones or the anvils of cumulonimbus clouds.What is the plural of Cirrus?
The plural form of cirrus is cirri (zoology).What are cirrus clouds made of?
The most common form of high-level clouds are thin and often wispy cirrus clouds. Typically found at heights greater than 20,000 feet (6,000 meters), cirrus clouds are composed of ice crystals that originate from the freezing of supercooled water droplets.Is wind a noun?
wind noun (CURRENT OF AIR) a current of air moving approximately horizontally, especially one strong enough to be felt: There was a light wind blowing.What types of clouds form layers?
Clouds form in three basic patterns: Cirrus, from cirro, meaning curly or fibrous. Stratus, from strato, suggesting sheets or layers. Cumulus, from cumulo, indicating heaped or piled.What are cirrus cirrostratus and cirrocumulus clouds made of?
Cirrus, cirrostratus and cirrocumulus clouds are made of ice crystals. All three clouds have a prefix of 'cirro', which is a synonym for 'high'.What does Nimbus mean in Latin?
From the Latin nimbus, which means rainy cloud, and stratus. Stratocumulus. From the Latin stratus and cumulus.What does Stratus mean in Latin?
More specifically, the term stratus is used to describe flat, hazy, featureless clouds of low altitude varying in color from dark gray to nearly white. The word "stratus" comes from the Latin prefix "strato-", meaning "layer". Stratus clouds may produce a light drizzle or a small amount of snow.Why are clouds puffy?
Cumulus clouds form via atmospheric convection as air warmed by the surface begins to rise. In this phase, water vapor condenses on various nuclei present in the air, forming the cumulus cloud. This creates the characteristic flat-bottomed puffy shape associated with cumulus clouds.Do all clouds produce rain?
For precipitation to form and fall, there must be clouds—precipitation never falls from a clear blue sky. However, not all clouds produce precipitation. Clouds produce rain when tiny droplets of liquid water begin to stick together, forming larger and larger drops. When those drops get heavy enough, they fall as rain.How high can a cloud go?
High clouds start above around 20,000 feet (6,000 meters). They often look thin and patchy or feathery.What is it called when there are no clouds in the sky?
Even when it is very warm and sunny, there might not be any clouds and the sky is a clear blue. The usual reason for the absence of clouds will be the type of pressure, with the area being under the influence of a high pressure or anticyclone. Air would be sinking slowly, rather than rising and cooling.How do clouds help us predict the weather?
First, determine if you can see the sun or moon through them. If you can, then you are looking at high altitude clouds. If the clouds are thick, then there is a chance of poor weather a day or two in the future. To determine when the storm will arrive, observe whether or not the clouds appear to be moving.What are storm clouds called?
Cumulonimbus (from Latin cumulus, "heaped" and nimbus, "rainstorm") is a dense, towering vertical cloud, forming from water vapor carried by powerful upward air currents. If observed during a storm, these clouds may be referred to as thunderheads.What do clouds mean?
Clouds are large groups of tiny water droplets (vapor) or ice crystals that cling to pieces of dust in the atmosphere. Clouds are so important to the earth's weather that meteorologists (people who study the weather) also study the clouds and their movement. In fact, without clouds, it wouldn't rain or snow!Are clouds always made of ice crystals?
Clouds are always made of ice crystals. water droplets. Cirrus clouds are low-level clouds that are often thin, wispy, and white. ice crystals in cold areas high above the ground would melt as they fall into the warmer air.What clouds bring rain?
Clouds that produce rain and snow fall into this category. ("Nimbus" comes from the Latin word for "rain.") Two examples are the nimbostratus or cumulonimbus clouds. Nimbostratus clouds bring continuous precipitation that can last for many hours. These low-level clouds are full of moisture.What do nimbostratus clouds mean?
A nimbostratus cloud is a multi-level, gray, often dark, amorphous, nearly uniform cloud that usually produces continuous rain, snow, or sleet but no lightning or thunder. Nimbostratus usually produces precipitation over a wide area. Nimbo- is from the Latin word nimbus, which denotes precipitation.What do high wispy clouds mean?
Cirrus clouds are the most abundant of all high level clouds. Cirrus means a "curl of hair." These wispy clouds are composed of ice and consist of long, thin streamers that are also called mare's tails. A few scattered cirrus clouds is a good sign of fair weather. 
