Clouds are life’s big, white, fluffy, cotton balls and all we have to do to see them is look up at the sky at any time of the day to see different varieties of shapes, colors, and weather. There are over 100 different types of clouds and 10 varieties of shapes to form into. Clouds are busy. The world of clouds have their own jobs throughout the months keeping themselves busy upon years.

· How are clouds made?

All around humans there is water, dust, and salt in the air as well as a form of gas known as water vapor. All clouds form their self’s using these many materials at different times of the day. There are many other ways how clouds could be created like a change in wind speed or topography which causes clouds like fog that gather around mountains. But the normal cause is called aerosols which is also known as water vapor.

· What do these clouds do?

Tiffany Means a scientist for ThoughtCo.com, says that all clouds go in their own category of size and levels. Example of a category low level clouds would hold clouds like Stratus that usually lie below 6,500 feet.

Low-level clouds (6,500ft.) – Stratus, Stratocumulus, Cumulus.

High-level clouds (20,00 ft.) – Cirrocumulus, Cirrus, Cirrostratus.

Middle-level clouds (between 6,500 & 20,00 ft.) – Altocumulus, Nimbostratus, Altostratus.

A good thing to know is that any cloud with Stratus in the name means “layered cloud”, Cirrus means “wispy clouds laying high in the sky”, Nimbus or Nimbo means “precipitating weather”, Precipitating clouds like Nimbostratus create incoming rain or snow. Cumulus clouds are “puffy” and Stratos are “layered cumulus” like the Altocumulus which also has Alto in the name meaning “Mid-level clouds”. Interesting but confusing right?

· Clouds names and jobs.

Out of all the clouds listed above I’m going to give example of one of them from each level and explain their jobs and why they were named the crazy names they were given for their beauty.

Altocumulus: This spooky and winter cloud is in the middle and low level. Its formless body is known to be created when heat is slowly rising. Unlike some clouds, this one does have a weather job. It usually signals thunderstorms later in the day.

Cirrostratus: These difficult high-level clouds are like the normal regular clouds you see on any skygazing blue sunny days but their shapes are also challenging to find in some places. While the shape is pretty plain and flat they can be found formatting into almost any form and this makes them special cloud they are.

AltostratusL This cloud loves cool and breezy places especially places like the southern plains. Altostratus name means “wavy” in Latin. This cloud in particular has other names like Wind Row, Billow, wave cloud, Stratus, undulates, etc. The shape is generally curvy with the bright sun blaring threw it. The level is high when the altostratus doesn’t change into a nibo making it rain or really muggy.

· Conclusion:

In summary clouds come in all sorts of sizes, colors, and names and are such gorgeous hard workers. They work all day and look good while doing it. these puffy white shapes are such exotic things on earth they can resemblance almost anything poufy, wavy, wispy, low, high, medium, behind the sun, along mountains, and well even giant random blobs. So, next time your outside look up to the sky and take a big guess what wicked cloud you’re gazing at.