Quiz: Can You Identify These 7 Cloud Formations?

Live from the Flight Deck

Good luck!

1) What are these clouds?

Craig Lindsay

That's right, this is a cumulonimbus mammatus cloud, and there's probably a lot of turbulence in there too.

This is a cumulonimbus mammatus cloud, and there's probably a lot of turbulence in there too.
2) You get to the airport and see this cloud. What is it?

Jim Brickett

That's right, this is a towering cumulus cloud.

This is a towering cumulus cloud.
3) What's this cloud over the city?

Omnisource5

It's a lenticular cloud. And it's the result of air rising and cooling, forming a cloud, then sinking and warming, which is why the cloud appears to be 'hovering' over a specific area.

It's a lenticular cloud. And it's the result of air rising and cooling, forming a cloud, then sinking and warming, which is why the cloud appears to be 'hovering' over a specific area.
4) You see this on top of a volcanic ash cloud. What is it?

NASA/JPL

That's right, this is a pileus cloud, and it's formed by strong updrafts at lower altitudes.

This is a pileus cloud, and it's formed by strong updrafts at lower altitudes.
5) You look up and see these clouds. What are they?

UCAR

These are called Kelvin-Helmholtz waves. They form when two layers of air (or liquid) of different densities move past each other at different speeds, creating a shear at the boundary.

These are called Kelvin-Helmholtz waves. They form when two layers of air (or liquid) of different densities move past each other at different speeds, creating a shear at the boundary.
6) You see these clouds high in the sky. What are they?

PiccoloNamek

That's right, these are cirrus clouds, and they're made mostly of ice crystals.

These are cirrus clouds, and they're made mostly of ice crystals.
7) You're flying a polar crossing and you see these clouds at twilight. What are they?

Gofororbit

Noctilucent clouds are formed by ice clouds at the boundary of the Earth's atmosphere, about 50 miles high in the sky. These clouds are visible well after the sun has set because of their extreme altitude (the sun can still shine on them far above our own horizon line), and they're typically seen above 50 degrees latitude on the North and South poles.

Noctilucent clouds are formed by ice clouds at the boundary of the Earth's atmosphere, about 50 miles high in the sky. These clouds are visible well after the sun has set because of their extreme altitude (the sun can still shine on them far above our own horizon line), and they're typically seen above 50 degrees latitude on the North and South poles.