From cirrocumulus to cumulonimbus: what do the clouds tell us?

We Catalans love to observe the sky, consult thermometers and rain gauges. We enjoy meteorology and we love looking up. Seeing a clear blue sky, or one dotted with clouds of different shapes, helps us predict the weather. And Catalan proverbs are a good example of this. Clouds are hydrometeors formed by tiny particles of liquid water or ice, or both, suspended in the atmosphere and which, generally, do not touch the ground. They can also contain larger particles of liquid water or gel, as well as non-aqueous liquid particles or solid particles from sources such as industrial gases, smoke, or dust. If you would like to learn more, the illustrated book recently published by Cinco Tintas, which covers everything related to clouds, is worth checking out. Observe the cloudsIts authors, Gavin Pretor-Pinney – co-founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society – and William Grill – illustrator – have created an illustrated guide for all audiences that reveals the facts, secrets, and stories of the main cloud types and explains how they shape the weather around them.

The main types

The appearance of a cloud is determined by its dimensions, shape, structure, texture, luminance, and color. Clouds can be classified according to their shape—cirrus, stratus, and cumulus—but also according to their altitude.

High clouds / Above 6,000 m

Mid-level clouds / Between 2,000 and 6,000 m

Low clouds / Below 2,000 meters

Particular clouds

Some proverbs in Catalan

• Cloudy day and clearing, bad weather is expected
• Lightning to the east and red clouds to the west, a sign of wind
• Bearded clouds, wet fields
• Round cloud, wind or abundant snow
• When the clouds make rafts, there are pills on the ground