Cirrocumulus Clouds (Cc)
High Clouds (above 20,000 feet)
Cirrocumulus (little lamb) clouds are typically composed of ice crystals. These clouds generally form where there are slow vertical movements in the cloud formation. Cirrocumulus clouds generally take on the form of regularly arranged, separated patches or ripples.
Genera:  From the Latin cirrus (lock of hair, a tuft of horsehair, a bird's tuft) and cumulus (accumulation, a heap, a pile)
 
Most Common Species:
castellanus (in the form of a castle tower)
floccus (tuft of wool, fluff or nap of a cloth)
lenticularis (a small lentil, a pea)
stratiformis (to extend, to spread or flatten out, to cover with a layer)
 
Related Weather: Indicates that there is convection in the upper atmosphere. When cirrocumulus clouds are widespread, especially if winds are from the western quadrants, storms are most likely within a day or so as these clouds are the upper air forerunners of large storm clouds located to the west.
 
Precipitation to be Expected:  None
Unless otherwise noted, all photos taken from Der Karlsruher Wolkenatlas, 2001 and used with permission of the author, Bernhard Muhr.
 
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