Cloud spotting guide
Use our cloud spotting guide and video to help identify different types of clouds in the sky.
High clouds
Identifying cirrus, cirrocumulus and cirrostratus clouds. All high-level clouds have a base above 20,000 ft.
Low-level clouds
Help with identifying low-level clouds - cumulus, cumulonimbus, stratocumulus and stratus.
Mid-level clouds
Information on spotting medium-height clouds - altocumulus, altostratus and nimbostratus.
Other clouds
Guide to observing other cloud phenomena including noctilucent night clouds and contrails.
Cloud names and classifications
Clouds are continually changing and appear in an infinite variety of forms. This is a guide to the 10 main named groups of clouds.