When you look up into the sky, you will often see clouds. No two clouds are the same, and there are many different types of clouds. Different kinds of clouds lead to different

types of weather.

Cirrus clouds are the highest group of clouds that form above 20,000 feet in the air. The higher in the sky, the colder it gets, which is why these clouds are made of frozen ice crystals. They look thin and wispy and can be either white or gray.

Stratus clouds are clouds that are lowest to the Earth. They are often gray in color, and cover the entire sky. Stratus clouds resemble fog. Most of

the time, no precipitation falls from stratus clouds, but on

occasion a light mist or drizzle can be produced. When stratus

clouds are in the sky, it is a gloomy and overcast day.

Cumulus clouds are white and puffy clouds that look like cotton. When cumulus clouds are in the sky, it usually means

fair weather. The sky in between cumulus clouds is

usually blue. They often begin to develop in the morning

when the sky is clear, and then are gone by the evening. No

precipitation occurs from cumulus clouds.

When cumulus clouds begin to grow taller, they can turn into

cumulonimbus clouds, or storm clouds. They can reach up to 11 miles in the air, and usually have a flat top due to very high winds. They are often dark at the bottom

and white at the top. Cumulonimbus clouds can

produce sudden and severe weather, like strong rain, hail, snow and lightning. They can even lead to the formation of

tornadoes!