Cirrocumulus floccus
Encyclopedia
Cirrocumulus floccus is a type of cirrocumulus cloud
. The name cirrocumulus floccus is derived from Latin
, meaning "a lock of wool". 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. Like cirrocumulus castellanus
, cirrocumulus floccus is an indicator of atmospheric instability
at the level of the cloud. In fact, cirrocumulus floccus can form from cirrocumulus castellanus, being the evolutionary state after the base of the original cloud has dissipated.
Cirrocumulus cloud
Cirrocumulus clouds are one of the three main types of high-altitude clouds, which also includes cirrus clouds and cirrostratus clouds. They usually occur at an altitude of to . Like other cumulus clouds, cirrocumulus clouds signify convection. Unlike other cirrus clouds, cirrocumulus include a...
. The name cirrocumulus floccus is derived from Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, meaning "a lock of wool". Cirrocumulus floccus appears as small tufts of cloud with rounded heads, but ragged bottoms. The cloud can produce virga
Virga
In meteorology, virga is an observable streak or shaft of precipitation that falls from a cloud but evaporates before reaching the ground. At high altitudes the precipitation falls mainly as ice crystals before melting and finally evaporating; this is usually due to compressional heating, because...
, precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground. Like cirrocumulus castellanus
Cirrocumulus castellanus
Cirrocumulus castellanus is a type of cirrocumulus cloud. The name cirrocumulus catellanus is derived from Latin, meaning "of a castle". These clouds appear as round turrets that are rising from either a lowere line or sheet of clouds. Cirrocumulus castellanus is an indicator of atmospheric...
, cirrocumulus floccus is an indicator of atmospheric instability
Atmospheric instability
Atmospheric instability is a condition where the atmosphere is generally considered to be unstable and as a result the weather is subject to a high degree of variability through distance and time...
at the level of the cloud. In fact, cirrocumulus floccus can form from cirrocumulus castellanus, being the evolutionary state after the base of the original cloud has dissipated.