Skip to content
Scrollchart
Earth Science Simple #clouds

Cloud Types Classification

High, mid, low, vertical - the ten genera of cloud forms.

A free, animated cloud types classification you can read here or embed on any website, from Scrollchart.

Cloud Types Classification

Cloud Types ClassificationTen genera by altitude: high (Ci/Cs/Cc), mid (Ac/As), low (St/Sc/Cu), vertical (Ns/Cb)024681012Altitude (km)Ci/Cs/CcIce crystalsAc/As/NsWater or mixedSt/Sc/CuWater dropletsCbIce + water, tallTropopause~12 km mid-latCirrus = fair; Altostratus/Nimbostratus = rain; Cumulonimbus = severe weather

Cloud altitude diagram with cirrus/cirrostratus/cirrocumulus high, alto-mid, stratus/cumulus low, cumulonimbus vertical. Shape and weather indications for each.

Good for

  • Weather literacy content helping readers identify clouds and forecast near-term conditions
  • Earth-science and geography education illustrating the vertical structure of the troposphere
  • Photography and outdoor-activity guides explaining what different cloud formations mean for the next 24 hours

Source & accuracy

This cloud types classification is an editorial illustration built to represent the concept accurately. Where it shows figures, they are typical or representative values chosen to make the relationship clear, not a single underlying dataset. The diagram and its explainer are reviewed and maintained centrally, and updated over time as understanding improves.

The ten cloud genera by altitude

The World Meteorological Organization classifies clouds into ten genera grouped by the height of their base. High clouds (cirrus, cirrocumulus, cirrostratus) form above roughly 6 km and are made largely of ice crystals. Mid-level clouds (altocumulus, altostratus, and the precipitation-bearing nimbostratus) sit between about 2 and 6 km. Low clouds (stratus, stratocumulus, cumulus) form below 2 km.

Two genera develop vertically across the layers: cumulus and the towering cumulonimbus, the thunderstorm cloud that can span the full troposphere.

How the names are built

The naming uses Latin roots from Luke Howard's 1803 system. Cirrus means a curl of hair, cumulus means a heap, stratus means a layer, and nimbus indicates rain. Combining them, such as cumulonimbus, describes both the shape and the precipitation behavior.

Embed this diagram

Add this animated cloud types classification to your own site. Copy one line of HTML, or use the embed builder for theme and sizing options.

Reference

What this is
A free, embeddable, animated cloud types classification for any website.
Who uses it
Science popularizers.
How to embed
Copy one line of HTML. No signup. No watermark. Works in WordPress, Webflow, Ghost, Substack, plain HTML.
File size
iframe embed, ~80 KB gzipped (loads on demand, does not block your page paint).
License
Free forever. Editorial explainer text included; updated centrally over time.
URL
scrollchart.com/diagram/cloud-types

Embed format options

Copy the universal HTML snippet, the WordPress shortcode, or an iframe fallback - see the WordPress plugin page for details. Any format keeps the same Core Web Vitals profile and the same explainer text.

Embed snippet 
<div data-scrollchart="cloud-types" data-scrollchart-v="1"></div>
<script src="https://scrollchart.com/embed.js" async></script>

By embedding, you acknowledge the diagram and explainer text are served from scrollchart.com and may be updated from time to time to reflect new research or to link to relevant sources within the explainer.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a free animated "Cloud Types Classification" for my website?
Scrollchart provides "Cloud Types Classification" as a free, embeddable animated diagram you can add to any website with one line of HTML. No signup is required and there is no watermark. The diagram and its explainer text are served from scrollchart.com, so the embed stays current without any maintenance on your end.
How do I embed a cloud types classification in WordPress or a static site?
Paste the HTML snippet from the Scrollchart diagram page into your WordPress post (in HTML/code view), your Webflow embed block, or directly into a static HTML file. No plugin is needed. The diagram loads from scrollchart.com and paints in as the reader scrolls.
Related diagrams

Other earth science explainers

See all earth science →
Earth Science Medium

Cold and Warm Fronts

Cold front: dense air shoves under warm; warm front: warm air rides up over cold.
Earth Science Simple

Atmospheric Layers

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere - temperature flips at each boundary.
Earth Science Simple

Precipitation Types

Rain, snow, sleet, freezing rain, hail - temperature profile decides which.