Stratus clouds appear as flat, uniform sheets or layers covering the sky. They often create an overcast day.
Characteristics of Stratus Clouds
- Appearance: Stratus clouds look like a grayish or whitish blanket stretching across the sky. They have a uniform base, unlike the puffy cumulus clouds. Reference: Wikipedia describes them as having "horizontal layering with a uniform base". Reference: Study.com notes that the word "stratus" comes from a Latin word meaning "layer," reflecting their appearance.
- Color: Typically gray or white, depending on their thickness and the amount of sunlight passing through them. Thicker stratus clouds tend to be darker gray. Reference: Met Office mentions a "fairly uniform grey or white colour".
- Altitude: They are low-level clouds, sometimes appearing as fog or mist at ground level. Reference: Met Office states that they are "the lowest-lying cloud type and sometimes appear at the surface in the form of mist or fog".
- Precipitation: While often associated with light, steady rain or drizzle, thin stratus clouds may not produce any precipitation. Reference: Tree House Weather Kids notes that these clouds can mean "an overcast day or steady rain". Reference: NOAA SciJinks adds that because they are often thin, they "seldom produce much rain or snow".
- Persistence: Stratus clouds can persist for extended periods, sometimes remaining in place for several days. Reference: Tree House Weather Kids indicates that they "may stay in one place for several days".
Examples
Imagine a dull, overcast day with a completely covered sky; that's often the result of a stratus cloud layer. If you see a uniform gray sheet of clouds with no distinct individual cloud formations, it is likely a stratus cloud.
