Cirrocumulus floccus
Cirrocumulus floccus clouds
AbbreviationCc flo
Symbol
GenusCirro- (curl)
-cumulus (heaped)
Speciesfloccus (lock of wool)
AltitudeAbove 6,000 m
(Above 20,000 ft)
ClassificationFamily A (High-level)
Appearancesmall tufts
PrecipitationOccasionally virga

Cirrocumulus floccus is a type of cirrocumulus cloud. The name cirrocumulus floccus is derived from Latin, meaning "a lock of wool".[1] Cirrocumulus floccus appears as small tufts of cloud with rounded heads, but ragged bottoms. The cloud can produce virga, precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground.[2] Like cirrocumulus castellanus, cirrocumulus floccus is an indicator of atmospheric instability at the level of the cloud.[3] In fact, cirrocumulus floccus can form from cirrocumulus castellanus, being the evolutionary state after the base of the original cloud has dissipated.[4]

See also

References

  1. Numen - The Latin Lexicon. "Definition of floccus". Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  2. Dunlop, Storm (2003). The weather identification flipbook (1st Lyons Press ed.). Guilford, Conn.: Lyons Press. p. 66. ISBN 1-58574-857-9.
  3. Callanan, Martin. "Cirrocumulus floccus". International Cloud Atlas. nephology.eu. Archived from the original on 30 December 2020. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  4. American Meteorological Society. "floccus". Glossary of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 31 December 2004. Retrieved 13 July 2011.


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