Cirrocumulus lenticularis

Type of cloud
Cirrocumulus lenticularis
Cirrocumulus lenticularis clouds, during a cold front
AbbreviationCc len
Symbol
GenusCirro- (curl)
-cumulus (heaped)
Specieslenticularis (lens-shaped)
AltitudeAbove 6,000 m
(Above 20,000 ft)
ClassificationFamily A (High-level)
Appearancelens- or almond-shaped
PrecipitationVirga only

Cirrocumulus lenticularis is a type of cirrocumulus cloud. The name cirrocumulus lenticularis is derived from Latin, meaning "like a lentil".[1] Cirrocumulus lenticularis are smooth clouds that have the appearance of a lens or an almond. They usually form at the crests of atmospheric waves, which would otherwise be invisible. This species of cirrocumulus can often be quite elongated and normally has very distinguished boundaries. Cirrocumulus lenticularis forms when stable air is forced upward; this is usually due to orographic features, but can occur away from mountains as well.[2] Irisation can occasionally occur with these clouds.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Numen - The Latin Lexicon. "Definition of lenticularis". Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  2. ^ Dunlop, Storm (2003). The weather identification handbook (1st Lyons Press ed.). Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press. p. 66. ISBN 1-58574-857-9.
  3. ^ Callanan, Martin. "Cirrocumulus lenticularis". International Cloud Atlas. nephology.eu. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2011.

External links

  • International Cloud Atlas – Cirrocumulus lenticularis Archived 2020-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
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Cirrocumulus cloud (Cc) types
Species
  • Cirrocumulus castellanus (Cc cas)
  • Cirrocumulus floccus (Cc flo)
  • Cirrocumulus lenticularis (Cc len)
  • Cirrocumulus stratiformis (Cc str)
Varieties
Variants
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Cloud genera and selected species, supplementary features, and other airborne hydrometeors - WMO Latin terminology except where indicated
Mesospheric
Extreme-level
80–85 km
Noctilucent (NLC)
Polar mesospheric clouds
  • Noctilucent type I veils
  • Noctilucent type II bands
  • Noctilucent type III billows
  • Noctilucent type IV whirls
Stratospheric
Very high-level
15–30 km
Nacreous polar stratospheric clouds (PSC)
  • Cirriform nacreous
  • Lenticular nacreous
Nitric acid and water
polar stratospheric clouds (PSC)
  • No differentiated sub-types; tends to resemble cirrostratus
Tropospheric
High-level
3–18 km
Cirrus (Ci)
Species
Ci-only varieties
Cirrocumulus (Cc)
Species
Cirrostratus (Cs)
Species
High-level-only
mutatus cloud
  • Mutatus non-height specific (see below)
Medium-level
2–8 km
Altocumulus (Ac)
Species
Altostratus (As)
Nimbostratus (Ns)
Multi-level
Varieties
Low-level
0–2 km
Cumulonimbus (Cb)
Towering vertical
Species
Cb-only supplementary features
Cb-only accessories and other
Cumulus (Cu)
Variable vertical extent
Species
Other
Stratus (St)
Species
St-only genitus cloud and other
Stratocumulus (Sc)
Species
Low-level-only
supplementary features
Low-level-only
accessory cloud and other
Non-height
specific
Varieties
Supplementary features
Mother clouds
and human-made clouds
  • (Mother cloud)+genitus (e.g. cumulogenitus (cugen)
  • (Mother cloud)+mutatus (e.g. cumulomutatus (cumut)
  • Homogenitus (hogen)
  • Homomutatus (homut)


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