Cirrostratus cloud

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Cirrostratus cloud
Cirrostratus showing an extremely large halo. This photo was taken from ground level with no zoom.
Abbreviation	Cs
Genus	Cirrus- "curl of hair" and -stratus "layered"
Altitude	Above 6000 m (Above 20,000 ft)
Classification	Family A (High-level)
Appearance	white veil
Precipitation Cloud?	No
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Cirrostratus clouds are thin, generally uniform clouds, composed of ice-crystals, capable of forming halos. When thick enough to be seen, they are whitish, usually with no distinguishing features. When covering the whole sky and sometimes so thin as to be hardly discernible, this may indicate a large amount of moisture in the upper atmosphere.^[1] Cirrostratus clouds sometimes signal the beginning of a warm front and thus may be signs that precipitation might follow in the next 12-24 hours. These clouds are located above 6,000m (20,000ft). Compare cirrostratus with other stratus cloud formations at lower altitude: altostratus, nimbostratus, and low altitude stratus clouds.

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v • d • e Cloud types High-level Cirrus (Ci) · Cirrus uncinus · Cirrus Kelvin-Helmholtz colombia · Cirrostratus (Cs) · Cirrocumulus (Cc) · Pileus · Contrail Medium-level Altostratus (As) · Altostratus undulatus · Altocumulus (Ac) · Altocumulus undulatus · Altocumulus mackerel sky · Altocumulus castellanus · Altocumulus lenticularis Low-level Fog · Stratus (St) · Nimbostratus (Ns) · Cumulus humilis (Cu) · Cumulus mediocris (Cu) · Stratocumulus (Sc) · Arcus · Fractus · Funnel · Roll · Shelf · Wall Vertical Cumulonimbus (Cb) · Cumulonimbus incus · Cumulonimbus calvus · Cumulonimbus mammatus · Cumulus congestus · Cumulus castellanus · Pyrocumulus · Pyrocumulonimbus · Overshooting top · Accessory Other Noctilucent · Nacreous