Overview
Get ready to do a virtual shift, a fun way to use computer software to look at the same cloud from below and above. But first, let's review some common cloud classifications. Clouds are given Latin names corresponding to their appearance and height. Meteorologists further differentiate clouds according to whether they are producing precipitation or not. Naturally these same features make a big difference as to how a satellite “sees” a cloud. Knowing just a little about how a cloud is formed and the likely particle composition in a cloud can translate into a lot of information gleaned from common satellite images.