Do you remember the days you spent cloud watching as a kid? Remember the time spent daydreaming and watching the fluffy the change into shapes you know? Clouds are beautiful. Let us now understand the types of clouds.
There are different types of clouds but the four main ones are called- Stratus, Nimbus, Cirrus, and Cumulus!
Cumulus clouds-
They are the more common clouds and are very big, puffy and bright. They come in different shapes and sizes. Usually, they have a flat base rounded on the top of the cloud but, if the top extends, they can turn into storm clouds that cause- rain, hail, tornadoes or snowstorms.
Cirrus clouds-
These clouds are thin and threadlike. A sky full of cirrus clouds normally causes hail or snow within a day or two days.
You can identify on which direction the storm is coming by watching the clouds move. If they are moving to the west, the storm is coming from the east.
Stratus clouds-
These clouds are flat and look like huge grey blankets which make the day look dull and dim. So, when you start considering the day is a little cloudy, these stratus clouds are coming your way!
Nimbus clouds-
A nimbus cloud is a dark grey raincloud that usually causes thunderstorms, hail, etc. They also look very dreary and scary.
Why do Pilots need to understand the different types of clouds?
Understanding different types of clouds are very important if you are a pilot or in the aviation sector. It is important for pilots to know about clouds and weather to avoid turbulence and other hazards
Clouds can be a difficult playground for airplanes. Clouds can be hard with ice and can be very unfriendly to airplanes. History tells us that across the world planes have been severely damaged when encountering severe thunderstorm clouds in-flight.