Is altostratus a high-level cloud?

Mid-level clouds: The two main type of mid-level clouds are altostratus and altocumulus.

What do altostratus clouds indicate?

Altostratus clouds often form ahead of a warm or occluded front. As the front passes, the altostratus layer deepens and bulks out to become nimbostratus, which produces rain or snow. As a result, sighting it can usually indicate a change in the weather is on the way.

What are the 3 height levels for clouds?

In addition to standardizing the genus-species system, the WMO also classified clouds by altitude and divided the troposphere into 3 levels: Low-level Clouds: < 6,500 ft. Mid-level Clouds: 6,500 to 23,000 ft. High-level Clouds: 16,500 to 45,000 ft.

What are high sheet like clouds called?

Stratus cloud often look like thin, white sheets covering the whole sky. Since they are so thin, they seldom produce much rain or snow. Sometimes, in the mountains or hills, these clouds appear to be fog.

What level are altostratus clouds?

middle cloud level
Definition: Sheet of featureless, gray clouds in the middle cloud level capable of masking the sun. Description & Characteristics. Altostratus clouds are found in the middle cloud level.

What does a altostratus mean?

Definition of altostratus : a fairly uniform mid-altitude layer of gray cloud darker than cirrostratus — see cloud illustration.

What does altostratus clouds look like?

Altostratus clouds are mid-level, gray or blue-gray clouds that usually cover the whole sky. The Sun or moon may shine through an altostratus cloud, but will appear watery or fuzzy. If you see altostratus clouds, a storm with continuous rain or snow might be on its way.

What are the upper and lower limits of the base of altostratus cloud?

Altostratus may range from 1 km to more than 5 km (3 300 ft to more than 16 500 ft) in thickness. Below the cloud. Viewed from below, the base of Altostratus is nearly flat, and appears diffuse and hazy. This is because rain or snow falls from it, usually without reaching the ground (virga).

What is the height of altostratus?

noun, plural al·to·stra·tus. Meteorology. a cloud of a class characterized by a generally uniform gray sheet or layer, lighter in color than nimbostratus and darker than cirrostratus: of medium altitude, about 8000–20,000 feet (2450–6100 meters).