There are ten basic types of clouds, cumulus, stratus, cumulonimbus, stratocumulus, cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, altostratus, altocumulus, andnimbostratus. These clouds are seperated into three groups, high clouds, mid clouds, and low clouds. Clouds are named using latin words describing each cloud as it appears from the ground, with cumulus meaning heap, stratus meaning layer, cirrus meaning curl of hair, and nimbus meaning rain.

 

       High clouds are located above 20,000 feet, and are mainly made up of ice crystal. These clouds appear thin and white. High clouds include cirrus, cirrostratus, and cirrocumulus. 

 

       Mid clouds are located between 6,500 to 20,000 feet. They are mainly made up of  water droplets, though they can be made up of ice crystals when temperatures are cold enough. The mid clouds are altostratus, altocumulus and nimbostratus.

 

       Low clouds are located below 6,500 feet. They are mainly made up of water droplets. If the temperatures are cold enough, they may contain snow and ice particles. The low clouds are cumulus, stratus, cumulonimbus, and stratocumulus.