Code
figure
0 No Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus or Cumulonimbus
1 Cumulus with little vertical extent and seemingly flattened,
or ragged Cumulus other than of bad weather*, or both
2 Cumulus of moderate or strong vertical extent, generally
with protuberances in the form of domes or towers, either
accompanied or not by other Cumulus or by Stratocumulus, all
having their bases at the same level
3 Cumulonimbus the summits of which, at least partially, lack
sharp outlines, but are neither clearly fibrous (cirriform)
nor in the form of an anvil; Cumulus, Stratocumulus or Stratus
may also be present
4 Stratocumulus formed from the spreading out of Cumulus;
Cumulus may also be present
5 Stratocumulus not formed from the spreading out of Cumulus
6 Stratus in a more or less continuous sheet or layer, or in
ragged shreds, or both, but no Stratus fractus of bad weather*
7 Stratus fractus of bad weather* or Cumulus fractus of bad weather
or both (pannus), usually below Altostratus or Nimbostratus
8 Cumulus and Stratocumulus other than that formed from the
spreading out of Cumulus; the base of the Cumulus is at a different
level from that of the Stratocumulus
9 Cumulonimbus, the upper part of which is clearly fibrous (cirriform),
often in the form of an anvil; either accompanied by Cumulonimbus
without anvil or fibrous upper part, by Cumulus, Stratocumulus,
Stratus or pannus
0 Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus and Cumulonimbus invisible owing to
darkness, fog,blowing snow, dust or sand, or other similar phenomena
* ‘Bad weather’ denotes the conditions which generally exists during
precipitation and a short time before and after.
Code
figure
0 No Altocumulus, Altostratus or Nimbostratus
1 Altostratus, the greater part of which is semi-transparent; through
this part the sun or moon may be weakly visible - as through ground glass
2 Altostratus, the greater part of which is sufficiently dense to hide
the sun or moon, or Nimbostratus
3 Altocumulus, the greater part of which is semi-transparent; the various
elements of the cloud change only slowly and are all at a single level
4 Patches (often in the form of almonds or fishes) of Altocumulus, the
greater part of which is semi-transparent; the clouds ocurr at one or
more levels and the elements are continually changing in appearance
5 Semi-transparent Altocumulus in bands, or Altocumulus in one or more
fairly continuous layers (semi-transparent or opaque), progressively
invading the sky; these Altocumulus clouds generally thicken as a whole
6 Altocumulus resulting from the spreading out of Cumulus (or Cumulonimbus)
7 Altocumulus in two or more layers, usually opaque in places, and not
progressively invading the sky; or opaque layer of Altocumulus, not
progressively invading the sky; or Altocumulus together with
Altostratus or Nimbostratus
8 Altocumulus with sproutings in the form of small towers or battlements,
or Altocumulus having the appearance of cumuliform tufts
9 Altocumulus of a chaotic sky, generally at several levels
/ Altocumulus, Altostratus and Nimbostratus invisible owing to darkness,
fog,blowing snow, dust or sand, or other similar phenomena, or more
often because of the presence of a continuous layer of lower clouds
Code
figure
0 No Cirrus, Cirrocumulus or Cirrostratus
1 Cirrus in the form of filaments, strands or hooks, not progressively
invading the sky
2 Dense Cirrus, in patches or entangled sheaves, which usually do not
increase and sometimesseem to be the remains of the upper part of a
Cumulonimbus; or Cirrus with sproutings in the form of small turrets
or battlements, or Cirrus having the appearance of cumuliform tufts
3 Dense Cirrus, often in the form of an anvil, being the remains of the
upper parts of Cumulonimbus
4 Cirrus in the form of hooks or filaments, or both, progressively
invading the sky; they generally become denser as a whole
5 Cirrus (often in bands converging towards one point or two opposite
points of the horizon) and Cirrostratus, or Cirrostratus alone; in
either case they are progressively invading the sky, and generally
growing denser as a whole, but the continuous veil does not reach
45 degrees above the horizon
6 Cirrus (often in bands converging towards one point or two opposite
points of the horizon) and Cirrostratus, or Cirrostratus alone;
in either case they are progressively invading the sky, and generally
growing denser as a whole, the continuous veil extends more than
45 degrees above the horizon, without the sky being totally covered
7 Veil of Cirrostratus covering the celestial dome
8 Cirrostratus not progressively invading the sky and not completely
covering the celestial dome
9 Cirrocumulus alone, or Cirrocumulus accompanied by Cirrus or
Cirrostratus, or both, but Cirrocumulus is predominant
/ Cirrus, Cirrocumulus or Cirrostratus invisible owing to darkness,
fog,blowing snow, dust or sand, or other similar phenomena, or more
often because of the presence of a continuous layer of lower clouds
Persistent aircraft condensation trails and clouds formed from them are
reported as cloud using the appropriate CH code figure.
Rapidly dissipating condensation trails are not reported.
Code
figure
0 Cirrus (Ci)
1 Cirrocumulus (Cc)
2 Cirrostratus (Cs)
3 Altocumulus (Ac)
4 Altostratus (As)
5 Nimbostratus (Ns)
6 Stratocumulus (Sc)
7 Stratus (St)
8 Cumulus
9 Cumulonimbus (Cb)
/ Cloud not visible owing to darkness, fog, duststorm,
sandstorm, or other analogous phenomena
Return to Codes Index.
Return to Index.
Last Updated: 7th November 1997
Dave Wheeler weatherman@zetnet.co.uk
Web Space kindly provided by Zetnet Services Ltd, Lerwick, Shetland.