S'COOL: Altostratus Clouds
Altostratus in Southeastern Virginia
Compare to stratus and cirrostratus photos to contrast the opacity (amount of light reduction) by these clouds. Photo by Lin Chambers.
Altostratus during California Winter
This is a good example of an altostratus layer: very flat cloud with just a bit of contrast visible. Note the shadowing on the church tower which indicates a fair amount of sunlight is getting through. Without that clue, and the small blue area at top left, this could easily be mistaken for low level stratus. Photo from St. Anne School, Porterville, CA. 2nd place in Jan 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest.
Altostratus with Tree
Another very typical stratus cloud, with little contrast in the cloud. Classification as altostratus was made by the extent to which light is penetrating the cloud near the tree trunk. Photo from St. James School, Falls Church, VA. 3rd place in Jan 2003 S'COOL cloud photo contest. |