Altocumulus floccus or Tufts of Wool

Altocumulus floccus on 8-16-2016 over Cedar Falls, Iowa. Photo copyright 2016 by Craig Johnson

Can you name these clouds? Meteorologists name clouds based on their form and altitude, their size, shape, and their varieties based on how opaque or transparent they are and patterns they create.

There are three main cloud levels: low, middle, and high. Low clouds are called ‘low,’ middle clouds use the prefix ‘alto,’ which means high(er) than the low clouds, and the highest clouds are named cirrus or have the prefix ‘cirro.’

Because these clouds are in the middle level their name begins with the prefix ‘alto’ because they are inbetween the low clouds and highest clouds. Since they are heaped or puffy they use the principle cloud name ‘cumulus.’ Finally, these clouds look shredded, likes tufts of wool or cotton so they are described as floccus. So the name is: