Altocumulus Clouds

clouds · sky · weather

Middle-altitude floaters. Altocumulus clouds hang out about 6,500 to 20,000 feet up, which is way higher than puffy cumulus clouds but lower than wispy cirrus clouds.

Lumpy and layered. They're made of lots of globular masses or rolls that stick together in patches, looking like someone stacked a bunch of fluffy balls on top of each other.

Size Goldilocks. These clouds are just right in size, bigger and darker than the tiny cirrocumulus clouds but smaller and lighter than the thick stratocumulus clouds below them.

Puffy when stormy. When the air gets unstable and chaotic, altocumulus clouds can get even tuffier and bumpier on top, becoming more cumuliform (fluffy) instead of smooth and layered.